Sample records for after-school science club

  1. Authentic Science Research in Elementary School After-School Science Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feldman, Allan; Pirog, Kelly

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we report on teachers' and students' participation in authentic science research in out of school time science clubs at elementary schools. In the program four to five teachers worked alongside practicing scientists as part of their research groups. Each teacher facilitated a club with 10-15 students who, by extension, were members…

  2. A Wide Spectrum of Solar Science for After School Astronomy Club

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mayo, Lou; Thieman, James R.

    2008-01-01

    After School Astronomy clubs are an important method of exposing students to astronomy at the critical middle school age when sparking an interest can inspire a lifelong career or hobby. We know that teachers complain that they can spend little time on astronomy in the classroom since they must teach to the test and the curriculum requirements do not have very extensive astronomy coverage. We also know that space is a very popular subject with students that can motivate them to join an after school club. One of the problems with after school astronomy clubs is that they don't often have a chance to observe the night sky. We propose to train club mentors on how to do daytime solar observing so students fulfill the IYA goal of looking through a telescope. We propose to provide a half day workshop for elementary and middle school teachers on starting and maintaining After School Astronomy clubs with special emphasis on observing the Sun not only in the visible spectrum but with radio waves and other parts of the spectrum as well. We will use NASA-oriented or NASA-funded educational materials and websites to bring a variety of ideas to the mentors and a broad knowledge of astronomy to the students. Attendees will be given an overview of the science of the Sun and how it can affect us on the Earth. They will be shown the dynamic nature of the Sun and what to look for to track the events happening there. The educators will be shown simple approaches to directly observing the Sun such as pinhole cameras, use of projection techniques with telescopes or binoculars, etc. They will be acquainted with sunspotter scopes and the advantages and disadvantages (such as expense) they pose for getting students involved. We will also point out the possibilities of using regular telescopes with solar filters and the specialized solar viewing telescopes such as the Coronado. Once the educators are comfortable with the simple approaches to viewing the Sun we will expose them to advanced

  3. Ways of Using Science Clubs to Bridge into Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapman, Steven

    2003-01-01

    Traditionally science clubs have been seen as a lunchtime or after-school activity, run by volunteer teachers giving up their spare time. Increasingly, however, they are being used creatively as a way of delivering important curriculum enhancement activities or even as a vehicle for the science part of whole-school priorities such as working with…

  4. Box Cello Middle School Science Clubs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vandegrift, Guy

    1998-10-01

    The Box Cello is a middle school science club which is attempting to (1) understand the cello and (2) design a low-cost starter instrument. We can support and justify this research by adding a third goal: (3) to help supply local science classes with equipment. My policy of spending one entire day each week away from the university, out in a local school is essential to this project. This schedule also permits me to conduct lessons on optics and music in the schools. And, it permits circulation of tools and equipment. A simple calculation demonstrates the great economy achieved by combining science clubs with academic year school visits. Consider the cost of letting 10,000 students in 10 middle schools each learn about and play with a pair of "upside-down" glasses for one hour. A visit to each school for three consecutive weeks would easily permit such a circulation if only 30 pairs were constructed. Assume rhetorically, that the construction of 30 pairs of glasses were to consume the entire estimated annual budget of $100,000. The cost per student would be only ten dollars! The visits, guest lectures, and equipment loans permit informal networking (including lunch) with math, science and music teachers in 10 schools. For more information, visit the http://www.utep.edu/boxcello/

  5. A Science Club Takes Action

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LeDee, Olivia; Mosser, Anna; Gamble, Tony; Childs, Greg; Oberhauser, Karen

    2007-01-01

    The after-school science club at Galtier Math, Science, and Technology Elementary Magnet School in St. Paul, Minnesota, learned some valuable lessons when they took newfound knowledge about pollution into their homes. After learning about the effects of various contaminants on health and what informed citizens can do about it, students tested…

  6. Making the Science Literacy Connection: After-School Science Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore-Hart, Margaret A.; Liggit, Peggy; Daisey, Peggy

    2004-01-01

    Children make discoveries spontaneously while participating in hands-on science learning experiences. The students in this study were attending an after-school science program that was organized around authentic literacy activities and hands-on science learning experiences related to the theme of wetlands. Literacy connections formed natural…

  7. Start a Science Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bircher, Lisa; Sansenbaugher, Bonnie

    2015-01-01

    This article describes the benefits of high school science clubs, focusing on forging partnerships with local and regional organizations; the importance of a service-learning component; and how local science club activities bring students and community members together. The authors also address how educators can improve the work of the group to…

  8. Social Justice and Out-of-School Science Learning: Exploring Equity in Science Television, Science Clubs and Maker Spaces

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dawson, Emily

    2017-01-01

    This article outlines how social justice theories, in combination with the concepts of infrastructure access, literacies and community acceptance, can be used to think about equity in out-of-school science learning. The author applies these ideas to out-of-school learning via television, science clubs, and maker spaces, looking at research as well…

  9. Cognitive Consequences of Participation in a "Fifth Dimension" After-School Computer Club.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayer, Richard E.; Quilici, Jill; Moreno, Roxana; Duran, Richard; Woodbridge, Scott; Simon, Rebecca; Sanchez, David; Lavezzo, Amy

    1997-01-01

    Children who attended the Fifth Dimension after-school computer club at least 10 times during the 1994-95 school year performed better on word problem comprehension tests than did non-participating children. Results support the hypothesis that experience in using computer software in the Fifth Dimension club produces measurable, resilient, and…

  10. "We Could Think of Things That Could Be Science": Girls' Re-Figuring of Science in an Out-Of-School-Time Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonsalves, Allison; Rahm, Jrène; Carvalho, Alice

    2013-01-01

    Grounded in sociocultural theory, this study explores how the figured world of science is reworked through a series of multi-media activities that were introduced into a girls-only conversation club in an after school program for Teens. The study is part of a multi-sited ethnography in which we explored youths' engagement with science within…

  11. Hands-On Optics science camps and clubs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walker, Constance E.; Sparks, Robert T.; Pompea, Stephen M.

    2007-06-01

    Hands-On Optics (HOO) is a National Science Foundation funded program to bring optics education to traditionally underserved middle school students. We have developed six modules that teach students optics concepts through hands-on, inquiry-based activities. The modules have been used extensively in after-school and non-school settings such as in the Boys and Girls Clubs in South Tucson, Arizona and the Boys and Girls Club in Sells, Arizona on the Tohono O'odham reservation. We will describe these programs and the lessons learned in these settings. These modules also form the basis for a week-long optics camp that provides students with approximately 40 hours of instruction time in optics. We will provide an outline of the activities and concepts covered in the camp. These camps provide an ideal way to encourage interest in optics before career choices are developed.

  12. The Role of After-School Digital Media Clubs in Closing Participation Gaps and Expanding Social Networks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vickery, Jacqueline Ryan

    2014-01-01

    This article considers how after-school digital media clubs, as an example of informal learning, can provide meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in the creation of interest-driven learning ecologies through media production. Ethnographic research was conducted in two after-school digital media clubs at a large, ethnically diverse,…

  13. Examination of a Successful and Active Science Club: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Behrendt, Marc

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative evaluative study explores the views of two science club advisor/educators of an active 122-member rural high school science club program that is thriving in spite of increasingly busy student schedules, decreasing school budgets, and a demanding standardized curriculum. It is essential to understand the teacher-advisors'…

  14. Science Notes: The Clubbers' Guide--School Biology Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howarth, Sue

    2014-01-01

    The STEM team at the University of Worcester support STEM activities in schools in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Part of this help includes suggesting activities for STEM clubs. As the biologist on the team author, Sue Howarth was asked by teachers for ideas to use in biology clubs. This article was prompted by feedback that these ideas might…

  15. The Supernova Club: Bringing Space Science to Urban Youths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakimoto, P. J.; Pettit, R.; Balsara, D.; Garnavich, P.

    2008-06-01

    The Supernova Club is an experiment aimed at bringing space science to youths, almost all African Americans, from the most severely disadvantaged areas of the South Bend, Indiana, region. It leverages the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) that, in Summer 2007, brought 100 children, ages 10-16 and living at or below the poverty level, to the Notre Dame campus for a 4-week non-residential summer program. Six contact hours of space science instruction were added to the core curriculum of nutrition, physical fitness, and academic study. At summer's end, 13 high interest/high potential youths were selected to form ``The Supernova Club''-a year-round, after-school, weekly follow-up program.

  16. Challenges in Offering Inner-City After-School Physical Activity Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maljak, Kimberly; Garn, Alex; McCaughtry, Nate; Kulik, Noel; Martin, Jeffrey; Shen, Bo; Whalen, Laurel; Fahlman, Mariane

    2014-01-01

    Background: Offering physical activity clubs (PACs) for students in urban high schools can provide avenues for increased physical activity (PA); however, little is known about why some clubs are not successful. Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine leaders' and students' perspectives on the challenges faced when…

  17. Running an Elementary School Astronomy Club: Engaging Children in the Wonders of Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayo, L.; Odenwald, S.; Lundberg, C.; Dimarco, A.

    2000-10-01

    ``At the elementary school level, children are motivated by two things, dinosaurs and space" (Dr. Harold Williams, Montgomery College Planetarium Director). Yet, many elementary school science objectives include only the most basic astronomical concepts. Some ignore the subject all together in favor of more traditional courses (e.g. math and reading) or Earth science based curricula such as weather and local ecosystems. In addition, most elementary school teachers are unfamiliar with astronomical concepts and are poorly equipped to teach the subject. With teacher requirements increasing due to increasing class sizes, state competency exams, and a back to basics political climate, there is often little room to capitalize on the natural sense of curiosity children have about the universe during the normal school day. An after school astronomy club can provide a solution. In this paper, we present a model for setting up and running an after school astronomy club for students in grades 3-6. Our model was developed at two Maryland schools, Sligo Creek Elementary and Holy Redeemer Elementary/Middle School and incorporates national education standards as well as NASA OSS guidelines for effective education outreach programs. We propose here, a Community Based Learning (CBL) approach with the goal of engaging multiple elements of the community in the learning process including local amateur astronomy clubs, industry, community colleges, parents, and teachers. Methods for using astronomy as a basis for teaching reading, writing, math, and presentation skills are introduced. Resources, teaching methods, preparation guidelines, discipline, and safety are discussed and a list of grade appropriate, hands-on astronomy activities is presented along with procedures and expected outcomes.

  18. Using Science to Take a Stand: Action-Oriented Learning in an Afterschool Science Club

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hagenah, Sara

    This dissertation study investigates what happens when students participate in an afterschool science club designed around action-oriented science instruction, a set of curriculum design principles based on social justice pedagogy. Comprised of three manuscripts written for journal publication, the dissertation includes 1) Negotiating community-based action-oriented science teaching and learning: Articulating curriculum design principles, 2) Middle school girls' socio-scientific participation pathways in an afterschool science club, and 3) Laughing and learning together: Productive science learning spaces for middle school girls. By investigating how action-oriented science design principles get negotiated, female identity development in and with science, and the role of everyday social interactions as students do productive science, this research fills gaps in the understanding of how social justice pedagogy gets enacted and negotiated among multiple stakeholders including students, teachers, and community members along what identity development looks like across social and scientific activity. This study will be of interest to educators thinking about how to enact social justice pedagogy in science learning spaces and those interested in identity development in science.

  19. After-school, Activity-based Physical Science in a Low-income, Rural County

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Small, Staci; Ryan, Ben; Vann, Nik; Moore, Christopher

    2010-02-01

    Longwood University's Society of Physics Students conducted a six-week, activity-based after-school program for middle-school students in partnership with a rural low-income school system. Hands-on learning activities were designed and implemented to improve content knowledge in typically low-scoring standardized testing areas in the physical sciences. For example, we used colored yarn of different lengths to help demonstrate visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum along with the relationship between wavelength and frequency. Other topics were explored, such as reflection, refraction, sound and inference. At the end of the six-week program, a science exposition was held where the students came to Longwood and participated in more sophisticated experiments, such as liquid nitrogen demonstrations. After the exposition, Longwood University held a small awards ceremony in which the parents were invited to watch their students receive an award congratulating them on completing the program and welcoming them into the Lancer Discovery Club. )

  20. Successful After-School Physical Activity Clubs in Urban High Schools: Perspectives of Adult Leaders and Student Participants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garn, Alex C.; McCaughtry, Nate; Kulik, Noel L.; Kaseta, Michele; Maljak, Kim; Whalen, Laurel; Shen, Bo; Martin, Jeffrey J.; Fahlman, Mariane

    2014-01-01

    Grounded in social cognitive theory, the purpose of this study was to examine leaders' and students' perspectives of factors that contribute to effective voluntary after-school physical activity clubs. Data were collected over two-years via field observations (n= 115) and interviews with students (n= 278) and adult leaders (n= 126). Results…

  1. Effect of a 9-wk. after-school multiskills club on fundamental movement skill proficiency in 8- to 9-yr.-old children: an exploratory trial.

    PubMed

    Foweather, Lawrence; McWhannell, Nicola; Henaghan, Jayne; Lees, Adrian; Stratton, Gareth; Batterham, Alan M

    2008-06-01

    This exploratory study examined the effects of a 9-wk. after-school multiskills club on fundamental movement skill proficiency in 8- to 9-yr.-old children. Two schools were randomly assigned to either a control (n = 15 children) or multiskill club (n = 19 children) condition. The multiskill club received 18 coaching sessions designed to improve fundamental movement skills. The control group followed normal routines. 7 skills were assessed using process-oriented measures with video analysis. Participation in the multiskill club yielded significant improvements in proficiency at posttest only in static balance, while potentially practically important improvements were observed in performance of the catch, throw, and kick skills. The after-school multiskill club offered a viable opportunity for movement skill acquisition, but any such programme would need to run for a longer duration to assess whether this type of activity could benefit all skills.

  2. The hazard education model in the high school science-club activities above active huge fault

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakamura, R.

    2017-12-01

    Along the west coast of pacific ocean, includes Japan, there are huge numerous volcanoes and earthquakes. The biggest cause is their location on the border of plates. The pressure among the plates cause strains and cracks. By the island arc lines, strains make long and enormous faults. More than huge 150 faults are reported (the head quarters for earthquake research promotion, Japan, 2017). Below my working school, it is laying one of the biggest faults Nagamachi-Rifu line which is also laying under 1 million population city Sendai. Before 2011 Tohoku earthquake, one of the hugest earthquake was predicted because of the fault activities. Investigating the fault activity with our school student who live in the closest area is one of the most important hazard education. Therefore, now we are constructing the science club activity with make attention for (1) seeking fault line(s) with topographic land maps and on foot search (2) investigate boling core sample soils that was brought in our school founded. (1) Estimate of displacement of the faults on foot observation In order to seek the unknown fault line in Rifu area, at first it was needed to estimate on the maps(1:25,000 Scale Topographic Maps and Active Faults in Urban Area of Map(Sendai), Geographical Survey Institute of Japan). After that estimation, walked over the region with club students to observe slopes which was occurred by the faults activation and recorded on the maps. By observant slope gaps, there has a possibilities to have 3 or 4 fault lines that are located parallel to the known activate faults. (2) Investigate of the boling core samples above the fault. We investigated 6 columnar-shaped boling core samples which were excavated when the school has been built. The maximum depth of the samples are over 20m, some are new filled sands over original ash tephra and pumice from old volcanoes located west direction. In the club activities, we described column diagram of sediments and discussed the sediment

  3. The Clubbers' Guide: New Academic Year, New Science/STEM Club?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott, Linda; Howarth, Sue

    2011-01-01

    In this article, the authors present some ideas to help one start (or continue) a successful science/STEM club. Some "tips" are given by Mike Bullock, a teacher from the West Midlands, who set up a STEM club after his NQT (newly qualified teacher) year and whose club members went on to do well in the STEM Challenges. Information is provided about…

  4. Our school's Earth and Space Sciences Club: 12 years promoting interdisciplinary explorations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Margarida Maria, Ana; Pereira, Hélder

    2017-04-01

    During the past 12 years, we have been engaging secondary level science students (15 to 18 years old) in the extracurricular activities of our school's Earth and Space Sciences Club, providing them with some of the skills needed to excel in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). Our approach includes the use of authentic scientific data, project based learning, and inquiry-centred activities that go beyond the models and theories present in secondary level textbooks. Moreover, the activities and projects carried out, being eminently practical, also function as an extension of the curriculum and frequently enable the demonstration of the applicability of several concepts taught in the classroom in real life situations. The tasks carried out during these activities and research projects often require the combination of two or more subjects, promoting an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Outside of the traditional classroom settings, through interdisciplinary explorations, students also gain hands-on experience doing real science. Thereby, during this time, we have been able to promote meaningful and lasting experiences and spark students' interest in a wide diversity of topics.

  5. Fostering Science Club: Creating a Welcoming Extra-Curricular Science Inquiry Space for ALL Learners that Seeks to Close the Science Experience Gap in a Predominantly Minority Urban Community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayfield, K. K.

    2017-12-01

    BackgroundTo minority adolescents in urban centers science inquiry seems like an engagement completed by others with specialized skills (Alkon & Agyeman, 2012). When scientists teach science classes those spaces and pedagogy are underwritten by the science teachers' beliefs about how science happens (Southerland, Gess-Newsome & Johnston, 2002). Further, scientific inquiry is often presented as the realm of upperclass whiteness (Alkon & Agyeman, 2012; Mayfield, 2014). When science educators talk about the achievement gaps between raced and classed learners, accompanying that gap is also a gap in science experience. My high school students in a postindustrial school district: attend a school under state takeover (the lowest 5/5 rating (MA Executive Office of Education, 2017)); have a student body that is 70% Latinx; and 96% of whom receive Free and Reduced Lunch (a Federal marker of a family below the poverty line). Annual Yearly Progress is a goal set by state and federal governments for school populations by race, ability, and language. In 2016, the site has failed to make its goals for special education, black, hispanic, white, and English as a Second Language populations. As a high poverty district there is a paucity of extracurricular science experiences. This lack of science extensions make closing standardized test gaps difficult. Geoscience Skills & FindingsThis after school program does not replicate deficit narratives that keep certain bodies of students away from science inquiry (Mayfield, 2015; Ogbu, 1987). Instead, Science Club uses an array of student-centered science (physics, math, arts, chemistry, biology) projects to help students see themselves as citizen scientists who lead explorations of their world. We meet 1.5 hours a week in a 30 week school year. Science club helps students feel like powerful and capable science inquirers with 80% girls in attendance, and uses science experiments to cultivate essential inquiry skills like: Observation

  6. Youth participation in disaster risk reduction through science clubs in the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Fernandez, Glenn; Shaw, Rajib

    2015-04-01

    With the UN-led celebration of the International Year of Youth from August 2010 to August 2011 there has been a renewed interest in young people and the vital role they can play in important issues, such as disaster risk reduction (DRR). This study aims to examine the potential of science clubs as a vehicle for youth participation in DRR in the Philippines. A questionnaire survey was conducted to obtain quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 658 science club members from different provinces of the Philippines participated in the survey. The result of the survey is used to explain how the major barriers to youth participation in DRR can be overcome. Through science clubs, the youth can become a link between their school, home and community and can contribute to spreading knowledge about disaster prevention, preparedness and response learned inside and outside the classroom. © 2015 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2015.

  7. The Supernova Club: Urban Youth Engagement that Works

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakimoto, Philip J.; Luckey, V.; Balsara, D.

    2008-05-01

    One of IYA's goals is to promote greater involvement by underrepresented minorities in scientific and engineering careers. IYA can serve as a catalyst for such involvement, but ultimate success requires a longer-term approach. The Supernova Club is an experiment in such a long-term approach. The goal is to see if engagement in a year-round astronomy club can propel youths from some of the most severely disadvantaged areas of our region into careers in science. We recruited club members by bringing astronomy activities to over a hundred youths ages 10-16 who were on campus in Summer 2007 for Notre Dames’ National Youth Sports Program (NYSP). Approximately 20 percent of the participants, most of who were underrepresented minorities and from below poverty level, expressed interest in joining an after-school astronomy club, and thirteen of them ultimately did so. The club meets one evening a week at Notre Dame's Robinson Community Learning Center. Center staff provide extensive support with logistics, meals, training in social skills and conduct, and communications with parents. Notre Dame scientists, assisted by local teachers, provide weekly activities. After one year, the club members have shown large improvements in interest in science and astronomy, ability to focus on tasks or discussions, and general behavior at school and at home. Funding for this first pilot year was provided through education supplements to HST research grants. With NASA space science education funding currently on an indefinite stand down, we are seeking other funds with which to carry on this experiment.

  8. Albion's Astronomy Club--A Community of Many Faces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ganem, Alysandra; Matti, C.; Ciastko, L.; Zellner, N.

    2014-01-01

    The Albion College Astronomy Club has a bright and rich history, and an even more luminous future. The club has always been and continues to be rooted in educating club members, fellow undergraduates and the community about astronomy. Public observing events are held several times each year, with the support of physics faculty and astronomy club members. In the spring of 2013, the club built and launched its first model rocket. The building of rockets has expanded club membership, which will ensure the continuity of our astronomy club. Additionally, in the 2013-2014 academic year, we plan to work with the local science museum to educate after-school groups about constellations and how much fun can be had observing, sans telescope. All of these activities culminate into a club that is integrative and educationally enriching.

  9. Effect of an After-School Garden Club Program on Elementary Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGriff, Maggie Caroline

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if three elementary school garden club programs influenced students' attitudes and behaviors regarding fruit and vegetable consumption. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis took place, in the form of pretest and posttest questionnaires as well as participant interviews. Overall,…

  10. Kids Club: A School-Age Program Guide for Directors.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sisson, Linda G.

    This handbook for administrators of school-age day care programs offers guidelines on implementing Kids Club programs. Kids Clubs coordinate family and public school resources to meet elementary children's needs for adult supervision and guidance when the children are not in school and their parents are at work. The handbook consists of seven…

  11. Teaching Environmental Health Science for Informed Citizenship in the Science Classroom and Afterschool Clubs.

    PubMed

    Keselman, Alla; Levin, Daniel M; Hundal, Savreen; Kramer, Judy F; Matzkin, Karen; Dutcher, Gale

    2012-08-01

    In the era of growing concerns about human-induced climate change and sustainable development, it is important for the schools to prepare students for meaningful engagement with environmental policies that will determine the future of our society. To do this, educators need to face a number of challenges. These include deciding on the science knowledge and skills needed for informed citizenship, identifying teaching practices for fostering such knowledge and skills, and finding ways to implement new practices into the tightly packed existing curriculum. This paper describes two collaborative efforts between the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and University of Maryland College of Education that attempt to meet these challenges. The focus of both projects is on helping students develop information seeking and evaluation and argumentation skills, and applying them to complex socio-scientific issues that have bearing on students' daily lives. The first effort involves co-designing an afterschool environmental health club curriculum with an interdisciplinary team of middle school teachers. The second effort is the development and implementation of a week-long school drinking water quality debate activity in a high school environmental science classroom. Both projects center on Tox Town, an NLM web resource that introduces students to environmental health issues in everyday environments. The paper describes successes and challenges of environmental health curriculum development, including teachers' and researchers' perception of contextual constraints in the club and classroom setting, tensions inherent in co-design, and students' experience with socio-scientific argumentation.

  12. Teaching Environmental Health Science for Informed Citizenship in the Science Classroom and Afterschool Clubs

    PubMed Central

    Keselman, Alla; Levin, Daniel M.; Hundal, Savreen; Kramer, Judy F.; Matzkin, Karen; Dutcher, Gale

    2013-01-01

    In the era of growing concerns about human-induced climate change and sustainable development, it is important for the schools to prepare students for meaningful engagement with environmental policies that will determine the future of our society. To do this, educators need to face a number of challenges. These include deciding on the science knowledge and skills needed for informed citizenship, identifying teaching practices for fostering such knowledge and skills, and finding ways to implement new practices into the tightly packed existing curriculum. This paper describes two collaborative efforts between the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and University of Maryland College of Education that attempt to meet these challenges. The focus of both projects is on helping students develop information seeking and evaluation and argumentation skills, and applying them to complex socio-scientific issues that have bearing on students’ daily lives. The first effort involves co-designing an afterschool environmental health club curriculum with an interdisciplinary team of middle school teachers. The second effort is the development and implementation of a week-long school drinking water quality debate activity in a high school environmental science classroom. Both projects center on Tox Town, an NLM web resource that introduces students to environmental health issues in everyday environments. The paper describes successes and challenges of environmental health curriculum development, including teachers’ and researchers’ perception of contextual constraints in the club and classroom setting, tensions inherent in co-design, and students’ experience with socio-scientific argumentation. PMID:24382985

  13. Advocating for equitable science-learning opportunities for girls in an urban city youth club and the roadblocks faced by women science educators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, Kathleen S.

    2002-02-01

    This article reports on a study that examined the obstacles women science educators faced as they facilitated Explorers, an after-school science program for girls aged 6-12. The program aimed to provide girls with opportunities to legitimately participate in science activity. Explorers was one of several programs offered by the Foothills City Youth Club (FCYC) in a racially diverse urban center in the Southwestern United States. The youth club was meant to serve the needs of children and youth in that community. Through analysis of field notes, interviews, and documents, the social structures and forces that impeded the implementation of practices and the acquisition of capital are described. They include: (a) inadequate funding and community support, (b) conflicting beliefs between FCYC leaders and community leaders about the needs of boys and girls, and 3) inequitable decision-making structures of the community. Underlying beliefs, structures, and practices within the community weakened the FCYC in many ways, interrupted the leadership's attempts to meet their goals as they worked with the community's children, and brought to the surface issues of bias and oppression.

  14. The journey of a science teacher: Preparing female students in the Training Future Scientists after school program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Robinson-Hill, Rona M.

    What affect does female participation in the Training Future Scientist (TFS) program based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Maslow's Hierarchies of Needs have on female adolescents' achievement levels in science and their attitude toward science and interest in science-based careers? The theoretical framework for this study was developed through a constructivist perspective, using dialogic engagement, coinciding with Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural learning theory. This action research project used mixed methods research design, targeted urban adolescent females who were members of Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis (BGCGSTL) after-school program. The data collection measures were three qualitative instruments (semi-structured interviews, reflective journal entries and attitudinal survey open-ended responses) and two quantitative instruments (pre-test and posttests over the content from the Buckle-down Curriculum and attitudinal survey scaled responses). The goal was to describe the impact the Training Future Scientist (TFS) after-school program has on the girls' scientific content knowledge, attitude toward choosing a science career, and self-perception in science. Through the TFS after-school program participants had access to a secondary science teacher-researcher, peer leaders that were in the 9th--12th grade, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) role models from Washington University Medical School Young Scientist Program (YSP) graduate and medical students and fellows as volunteers. The program utilized the Buckle-down Curriculum as guided, peer-led cooperative learning groups, hands-on labs and demonstrations facilitated by the researcher, trained peer leaders and/or role models that used constructivist science pedagogy to improve test-taking strategies. The outcomes for the TFS study were an increase in science content knowledge, a positive trend in attitude change, and a negative trend in choosing a science career. Keywords: informal

  15. School Nurse Book Clubs: An Innovative Strategy for Lifelong Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenawald, Deborah A.; Adams, Theresa M.

    2008-01-01

    Recognizing the ongoing need for continuing education for school nurses, the authors discuss the use of school nurse book clubs as an innovative lifelong-learning strategy. Current research supports the use of literature in nursing education. This article discusses the benefits of book club participation for school nurses and includes suggested…

  16. The Use of Journal Clubs in Science Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tallman, Karen A.; Feldman, Allan

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative study explored how in a 7-month-long journal club pre- and inservice science teachers engaged with education research literature relevant to their practice to reduce the theory-practice gap. In the journal club they had the opportunity to critique and analyze peer-reviewed science education articles in the context of their…

  17. Science Club--A Concept

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wegner, Claas; Issak, Nicole; Tesch, Katharina; Zehne, Carolin

    2016-01-01

    The following article presents a concept of a science club which was developed by two master's students as a part of their thesis and which has been developed and improved ever since. The extra-curricular concept emphasises pupils' individuality through focusing on problem based leaning, station learning, and mixed age groups. Having joined the…

  18. Leveraging Analysis of Students' Disciplinary Thinking in a Video Club to Promote Student-Centered Science Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnhart, Tara; van Es, Elizabeth

    2018-01-01

    Recent policy reports and standards documents advocate for science teachers to adopt more student-centered instructional practices. Four secondary science teachers from one school district participated in a semester-long video club focused on honing attention to students' evidence-based reasoning and creating opportunities to make students'…

  19. The CATCH Kids Club: a pilot after-school study for improving elementary students' nutrition and physical activity.

    PubMed

    Kelder, Steve; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Barroso, Cristina S; Walker, Joey L; Cribb, Peter; Hu, Shaohua

    2005-04-01

    Although many school-based diet and physical activity interventions have been designed and evaluated, relatively few have been tested for the after-school setting. After-school day-care programmes at either elementary schools or private locations provide a ready-made opportunity for health programmes that may be difficult to incorporate into an already-full school day. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot study of an after-school adaptation of the CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) elementary school programme called the CATCH Kids Club (CKC). The CKC was pilot-tested and formatively evaluated in 16 Texas after-school programmes: eight in El Paso and eight in Austin (four intervention and four reference sites each). Evaluation consisted of direct observation of moderate to vigorous physical activity during play time, self-reported food intake and physical activity, and focus group interviews with after-school programme staff. Students responded well to the physical activity and snack components and were less interested in the five-module education component. Routine staff training was a key variable in achieving proper implementation; the ideal would be a full day with repeated follow-up model teaching visits. Staff turnover was a logistic issue, as was programme leader readiness and interest in conducting the programme. Strong and significant effects were observed for the physical activity but not for the education component. The results of the physical education component suggest it is feasible, effective and ready for larger-scale evaluation or dissemination.

  20. Developing Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Science Teaching Through Video Clubs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Heather J.; Cotterman, Michelle E.

    2015-06-01

    Though an adequate understanding of content is a natural prerequisite of teaching (Carlsen in Journal of Research in Science Teaching 30:471-481, 1993), teachers also need to be able to interpret content in ways that facilitate student learning. How to best support novice teachers in developing and refining their content knowledge for teaching is a crucial and ongoing question for preservice teacher educators. Recently, video clubs are being explored as potential contexts for teacher learning (Barnhart & van Es in Teaching and Teacher Education 45:83-93, 2015; Sherin & Han in Teaching and Teacher Education 20:163-183, 2004). We hypothesized that pairing video clubs with student teaching experiences would provide a forum for preservice teachers to discuss issues relevant to their professional trajectory through exposure to models of peer teaching and opportunities to reflect on practice. In this study, we explored how secondary science preservice teachers used video club to restructure their overall science knowledge into science knowledge for teaching. Our findings suggest that video clubs allowed preservice teachers to access and leverage student thinking and instructional resources to deepen their understanding of science content and trajectories for science learning.

  1. School nurse book clubs: an innovative strategy for lifelong learning.

    PubMed

    Greenawald, Deborah A; Adams, Theresa M

    2008-04-01

    Recognizing the ongoing need for continuing education for school nurses, the authors discuss the use of school nurse book clubs as an innovative lifelong-learning strategy. Current research supports the use of literature in nursing education. This article discusses the benefits of book club participation for school nurses and includes suggested fiction and nonfiction books that can be used to enhance nursing knowledge and practice. Through reading and discussion, school nurses can increase their knowledge of nursing history and current health care issues, thus becoming better prepared to address challenging issues that arise in practice. In addition, the use of literature as a learning strategy allows school nurses to broaden their understanding of unique cultural factors that influence the health beliefs and practices of students and their families. Book club participation can also assist school nurses in honing leadership and communication skills and becoming energized to become better advocates for children and families.

  2. Inventories of psychological skills for athletic clubs and school life.

    PubMed

    Ueno, Kohei

    2014-02-01

    Some students who participate in athletic activities transfer the skills acquired in a sports context into other areas of life, while others do not. To identify the specific skills that are transferred or not from sports to the school environment, two inventories were developed: the "Psychological Skills Inventory for Athletic Clubs" and the "Psychological Skills Inventory for School Life." These inventories enable a comparison of skills in a sport context with skills in a school context. In the first stage, 307 Japanese first-year university students who had participated in high school athletic clubs volunteered to take part in a survey to develop these inventories. Analyses indicated that both inventories comprised identical subscales of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. In the second stage, the reliability and validity of these inventories was confirmed for 531 Japanese high school students who were members of athletic clubs for sports such as soccer and baseball.

  3. Three High School After-School Initiatives: Lessons Learned

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barr, Sarah; Birmingham, Jennifer; Fornal, Jennifer; Klein, Rachel; Piha, Sam

    2006-01-01

    Little attention has been paid to older youth in the recent expansion of school-based after-school programs. High school clubs and community-based programs have existed for years, but many have struggled to sustain the participation of teens. Alarmed by the large numbers of high school-age youth who are disengaged at school and leaving high school…

  4. Improved knowledge gain and retention for third-year medical students during surgical journal club using basic science review: A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Williams, Austin D; Mann, Barry D

    2017-02-01

    As they enter the clinical years, medical students face large adjustments in the acquisition of medical knowledge. We hypothesized that basic science review related to the topic of journal club papers would increase the educational benefit for third-year medical students. Students were randomized either to participation in a review session about basic science related to the journal club paper, or to no review. After one day, and after three months, students were given a 10-question quiz encompassing the basic science and the clinical implications of the paper. Twenty-six of 50 students were randomized to basic science review. These students scored better on both sections of the quiz one day after journal club, but only on basic science questions after three months. Students who participated in basic science review had better knowledge gain and retention. Educational activities building upon foundational knowledge improves learning on clinical rotations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. A Quaterback Club for the High School Fine Arts Department

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tindel, Robert James

    1977-01-01

    Examines the creation of a high school fine arts club to provide financial support for the music, art and theatre arts departments and to help enhance cooperation among these departments while providing broader cultural experiences for the club members. (MH)

  6. Learning Masculinities in a Japanese High School Rugby Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Light, Richard

    2008-01-01

    This paper draws on research conducted on a Tokyo high school rugby club to explore diversity in the masculinities formed through membership in the club. Based on the premise that particular forms of masculinity are expressed and learnt through ways of playing (game style) and the attendant regimes of training, it examines the expression and…

  7. Developing the Inner Scientist: Book Club Participation and The Nature of Science

    PubMed Central

    Griffard, Phyllis Baudoin; Mosleh, Tayseer; Kubba, Saad

    2013-01-01

    The leap from science student to scientist involves recognizing that science is a tentative, evolving body of knowledge that is socially constructed and culturally influenced; this is known as The Nature of Science (NOS). The aim of this study was to document NOS growth in first-year premedical students who participated in a science book club as a curricular option. The club read three acclaimed nonfiction works that connect biology to medicine via the history of scientific ideas. Students’ NOS status was assessed as informed, transitional, or naïve at the beginning and end of the academic year using the Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire–Form C (VNOS-C). Focus group interviews and document analysis of assignments and exams provided qualitative evidence. VNOS-C scores improved over the academic year regardless of book club participation. Students who participated in book club had marginally better NOS status at the end of the year but also at the beginning, suggesting that book club may have attracted rather than produced students with higher NOS status. It is notable that an improvement in NOS understanding could be detected at all, as there have been few reports of NOS growth in the literature in which NOS was not an explicit topic of instruction. PMID:23463231

  8. Developing the inner scientist: book club participation and the nature of science.

    PubMed

    Griffard, Phyllis Baudoin; Mosleh, Tayseer; Kubba, Saad

    2013-01-01

    The leap from science student to scientist involves recognizing that science is a tentative, evolving body of knowledge that is socially constructed and culturally influenced; this is known as The Nature of Science (NOS). The aim of this study was to document NOS growth in first-year premedical students who participated in a science book club as a curricular option. The club read three acclaimed nonfiction works that connect biology to medicine via the history of scientific ideas. Students' NOS status was assessed as informed, transitional, or naïve at the beginning and end of the academic year using the Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire-Form C (VNOS-C). Focus group interviews and document analysis of assignments and exams provided qualitative evidence. VNOS-C scores improved over the academic year regardless of book club participation. Students who participated in book club had marginally better NOS status at the end of the year but also at the beginning, suggesting that book club may have attracted rather than produced students with higher NOS status. It is notable that an improvement in NOS understanding could be detected at all, as there have been few reports of NOS growth in the literature in which NOS was not an explicit topic of instruction.

  9. School Astronomy Club: from Project to Knowledge

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Folhas, Alvaro

    2016-04-01

    Prepare a generation of young people for the challenges of the future is a task which forces us to rethink the school, not just for being difficult, but also because students feel that the school has very little to offer, especially something that interests them. Thus, the school is dysfunctional, is ill, and needs prompt treatment. School have to adjust to the new times, and this does not mean changing the old blackboards by advanced interactive whiteboards. The school has to find the way to the students with something that seduce them: the Challenge. The Astronomy Club that I lead in my school is essentially a Project space. Students who voluntarily joined the club, organize themselves according to their interests around projects whose outcome is not defined from the beginning, which requires them to do, undo and redo. Which obliges them to feel the need to ask for help to mathematics or physics to achieve answers, to feel the passion to study with a genuine purpose of learning. Some examples of the work: The younger students are challenged to reproduce the historical astronomical experiments that have opened the doors of knowledge such as the Eratosthenes experiment to determine the perimeter of the Earth (on equinox), or by using congruent triangles, determine the diameter the sun. These students are driven to establish distance scales in the solar system, which, to their astonishment, allows them to clear misconceptions that arise from some pictures of books and allows them to have a scientifically correct idea of the planetary orbit and distance separating the planets of the Solar System. For students from 15 to 18 years, I have to raise the level of the challenges and use the natural tendency of this age bracket to assert making new and exciting things. To this purpose, I am fortunate to have the support of large organizations like NUCLIO, ESA, CERN, and Go-Lab Project, Inspiring Science Education, Open Discovery Space and Global Hands on Universe. Through

  10. Exoplanet Research at a Southwestern Urban High School: Lessons Learned from the Tucson High Astronomy Club Research Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watson, Zachary T.; Pompea, Stephen M.; Tucson High Astronomy Research Club

    2015-01-01

    We present the results of introducing talented youth to research astronomy projects related to the study of exoplanets. We present the results of students' development of their identities as scientist, their interest in the STEM field as a career, and their knowledge retention through individual surveys. The design of the student interaction was to have weekly after-school club meetings where basic material would be taught to aid the students addressing the research problems themselves by planning observations, observing, and ultimately reducing the data of observations of their selected exoplanets. The after-school club was composed of 12 students of varying backgrounds attending the urban TucsonMagnet High School. The program is ongoing and began September 2013.

  11. Descriptive study of dental injury incurred by junior high school and high school students during participation in school sports clubs.

    PubMed

    Nonoyama, Toshiya; Shimazaki, Yoshihiro; Nakagaki, Haruo; Tsuge, Shinpei

    2016-12-01

    Students often injure their teeth during participation in school-based sports clubs. This study examined the frequencies and types of dental injuries sustained at school sports clubs and compared the risk of dental injury among different sports. Based on injury statistics from the Japan Sport Council of the junior high schools and high schools in seven prefectures during fiscal year 2006, the risk of dental injury was estimated using a rate ratio (RR) by calculating the ratio of occurrence of dental injury under various circumstances. The RRs of exercise-related dental injury for boys and girls in junior high school were 0.7 (P < 0.001) and 1.3 (P < 0.05), respectively, and for those in high school were 2.6 (P < 0.001) and 2.7 (P < 0.001), respectively. In junior high school, softball (RR = 7.7) for boys and handball (RR = 3.9) for girls commonly led to dental injuries. In high school, Japanese-style wrestling (RR = 18.5) and rugby (RR = 7.3) for boys and handball (RR = 6.5) for girls had high risks for dental injury. Crown fracture was the predominant dental injury among boys and girls attending both junior high school and high school. The proportion of alveolar fracture was higher in school sports clubs than outside school sports clubs among high school boys. Contact or limited-contact sports had significantly higher risks for dental injuries than did noncontact sports. The results of this study suggest that teachers and administrators at schools should pay attention to the risk of dental injury among students participating in high-risk sports. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federation.

  12. From Droughts to Drones: An After-School Club Uses Drones to Learn about Environmental Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillani, Bijan; Gillani, Roya

    2015-01-01

    An after-school enrichment activity offered to sixth-grade students gave a group of 10 students an opportunity to explore the effects of the California drought in their community using an engaging scientific device: the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle). Although this activity was specifically designed for a small after-school enrichment group, it…

  13. Fabrication and Measurement of High-Temperature Superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ: Activity Report of Science Club

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shigeta, Iduru; Nishisako, Yuya; Urakawa, Shinpei; Murayama, Osamu; Ito, Masakazu; Hiroi, Masahiko

    We report our activities of the science club for the intensive education in science and mathematics at the Faculty of Science in Kagoshima University. The science club has been organized for undergraduate students in the first and second years as an extracurricular activities. For the science club in our research group, attending undergraduate students have tried to fabricate and measure polycrystals of high-temperature superconductors. They have studied features of superconductivity though the activities of advanced research experiences in the science club. We conclude that the science club was useful for the increase of scientific interest and understanding of undergraduate students.

  14. Influencing College and Higher Education Choices in Disadvantaged Hispanic High School Students Through a School-Based Health Club.

    PubMed

    Singh, Harsimran; Matza, Maria; Latham, Christine

    2017-06-01

    Statistics representing professional health care providers do not adequately reflect the shift in the nation's diverse population. Latinos are significantly underrepresented at all levels of appropriate academic programs critical for entry to health profession careers. This project describes the implementation of a student-run, faculty-facilitated Future Nurse and Health Club at a school (with majority Latino students) to emphasize the importance of higher education in health care. Demographic and psychosocial profiles of club members were also developed to understand community needs. The Future Nurse and Health Club was established in partnership with faculty and researchers representing a university-based nursing program, school officials, and community leaders. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from club members and their parents using a variety of techniques including questionnaires and focus groups. The findings of the study highlighted a variety of student- and parent-related factors including poor lifestyle habits and perceptions of support that could potentially influence Latino high school students' interest and progress in health care-related higher education. A school-based health career club involving active participation of parents and students with support from health care professionals such as academic nursing faculty has the potential to simultaneously raise student interest in health-related careers and health needs of their community.

  15. Activist Literacies: An Analysis of the Literacy Practices of a School-Based Human Rights Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Collin, Ross

    2012-01-01

    In this article, I examine the literacy practices of a high school-based human rights club. I investigate how the group engages in certain kinds of textual production to sponsor and arrange advisory sessions (school-wide meetings between teachers and small groups of students). More specifically, I consider how the club adapts school genres to…

  16. Engaging high school students as plasma science outreach ambassadors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wendt, Amy; Boffard, John

    2017-10-01

    Exposure to plasma science among future scientists and engineers is haphazard. In the U.S., plasma science is rare (or absent) in mainstream high school and introductory college physics curricula. As a result, talented students may be drawn to other careers simply due to a lack of awareness of the stimulating science and wide array of fulfilling career opportunities involving plasmas. In the interest of enabling informed decisions about career options, we have initiated an outreach collaboration with the Madison West High School Rocket Club. Rocket Club members regularly exhibit their activities at public venues, including large-scale expos that draw large audiences of all ages. Building on their historical emphasis on small scale rockets with chemical motors, we worked with the group to add a new feature to their exhibit that highlights plasma-based spacecraft propulsion for interplanetary probes. This new exhibit includes a model satellite with a working (low power) plasma thruster. The participating high school students led the development process, to be described, and enthusiastically learned to articulate concepts related to plasma thruster operation and to compare the relative advantages of chemical vs. plasma/electrical propulsion systems for different scenarios. Supported by NSF Grant PHY-1617602.

  17. Association of Competition Volume, Club Sports, and Sport Specialization With Sex and Lower Extremity Injury History in High School Athletes.

    PubMed

    Post, Eric G; Bell, David R; Trigsted, Stephanie M; Pfaller, Adam Y; Hetzel, Scott J; Brooks, M Alison; McGuine, Timothy A

    High school athletes are increasingly encouraged to participate in 1 sport year-round to increase their sport skills. However, no study has examined the association of competition volume, club sport participation, and sport specialization with sex and lower extremity injury (LEI) in a large sample of high school athletes. Increased competition volume, participating on a club team outside of school sports, and high levels of specialization will all be associated with a history of LEI. Girls will be more likely to engage in higher competition volume, participate on a club team, and be classified as highly specialized. Cross-sectional study. Level 3. High school athletes completed a questionnaire prior to the start of their competitive season regarding their sport participation and previous injury history. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations of competition volume, club sport participation, and sport specialization with history of LEI, adjusting for sex. A cohort of 1544 high school athletes (780 girls; grades 9-12) from 29 high schools completed the questionnaire. Girls were more likely to participate at high competition volume (23.2% vs 11.0%, χ 2 = 84.7, P < 0.001), participate on a club team (61.2% vs 37.2%, χ 2 = 88.3, P < 0.001), and be highly specialized (16.4% vs 10.4%, χ 2 = 19.7, P < 0.001). Athletes with high competition volume, who participated in a club sport, or who were highly specialized had greater odds of reporting a previous LEI than those with low competition volume (odds ratio [OR], 2.08; 95% CI, 1.55-2.80; P < 0.001), no club sport participation (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.20-1.88; P < 0.001), or low specialization (OR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.88-3.54; P < 0.001), even after adjusting for sex. Participating in high sport volume, on a club team, or being highly specialized was associated with history of LEI. Girls were more likely to participate at high volumes, be active on club teams, or be highly specialized

  18. Productive Communication in an Afterschool Engineering Club with Girls Who Are English Language Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McVee, Mary; Silvestri, Katarina; Shanahan, Lynn; English, Ken

    2017-01-01

    This article [explores] the learning of girls who were in a co-ed after school engineering club related to the project: Designing Vital Engineering and Literacy Practices for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math for Elementary Teachers and Children (DeVELOP STEM ETC). While few girls grow up to become engineers in the US, recently more…

  19. The Use of Journal Clubs in Science Teacher Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tallman, Karen A.; Feldman, Allan

    2016-04-01

    This qualitative study explored how in a 7-month-long journal club pre- and inservice science teachers engaged with education research literature relevant to their practice to reduce the theory-practice gap. In the journal club they had the opportunity to critique and analyze peer-reviewed science education articles in the context of their classroom practice. Data sources included audio recordings of the meetings; semi-structured pre- and post-interviews of the teachers; focus groups; and artifacts (e.g., journal articles, reflective paper, email exchanges, and researcher's field notes). Data were analyzed using the techniques of grounded theory (Corbin & Strauss in Basics of qualitative research, 3rd ed. Sage, Thousand Oaks, 2008). In addition we used some preconceived categories that we created from existing literature on journal clubs and communities of practice (Newswander & Borrego in European Journal of Engineering Education 34(6): 561-571, 2009; Wenger in Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998) and from our previous research (Tallman & Feldman, 2012). We found that the journal club incorporated the three characteristics of a community of practice (Wenger in Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998) into its functioning (mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire). The teachers mutually engaged around the joint enterprise of reading, critiquing, and understanding the research studies with the goal of improving practice. The teachers also asked each other analytical questions, which became a shared repertoire of the journal club. They reflected on their practice by presenting, reading, and discussing the articles, which helped them to determine whether and how the findings from the articles could be incorporated into their teaching practice. In doing so, they learned the skills needed to critique the research literature in

  20. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Breakfast Clubs According to Parents, Children, and School Staff in the North East of England, UK.

    PubMed

    Graham, Pamela Louise; Russo, Riccardo; Defeyter, Margaret Anne

    2015-01-01

    The provision of school breakfast has become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years. However, UK-based studies highlighting the views of parents, children, and school staff on school breakfast clubs are lacking. The current study set out to address this dearth in the literature by investigating the views of these key user and stakeholder groups on breakfast clubs within the North East of England. Fourteen parents, 21 children, and 17 school staff were recruited from four primary schools where breakfast clubs were available on site. Parents and school staff took part in semistructured interviews and children participated in focus groups, through which the advantages and disadvantages of breakfast clubs were discussed. Thematic analysis revealed that breakfast clubs provided children with a settled and enjoyable start to the school day. As well as providing children with a healthy and varied breakfast meal and unique opportunities for social interaction, breakfast clubs were recognized as an integral part of the school system that offered support to parents, particularly those who worked and relied on breakfast clubs as a means of affordable and reliable childcare. The few disadvantages identified related to practical issues such as a lack of adherence to school food standards, breakfast club staff missing class preparation time and concerns that some children were being excluded from participating in breakfast clubs particularly due to costs associated with attendance. The findings are discussed in relation to the School Food Plan, and areas for further investigation are proposed.

  1. A Program Review of a Middle School Gay-Straight Alliance Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quasha, Scott; McCabe, Paul C.; Ortiz, Samuel O.

    2014-01-01

    This program review examined a middle school Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club within a northeastern suburban school situated in a large metropolitan area. The GSA was the first in the region to start exclusively in a standalone middle school. The review was accomplished through a staff survey comparing school climates for lesbian, gay, bisexual,…

  2. Brown & Gold Club Member Survey: What Senior Adults Want.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Conklin, Karen A.

    In order to better serve the senior population in its community, Johnson County Community College (JCCC) (Kansas) created the Brown and Gold Club (named after the school colors), which offers JCCC education and special events to adults age 55 and over. Membership in the club now exceeds 4,800 people. Not only does the club serve the senior…

  3. Science beyond the Classroom: Hands-On Optics and the Boys and Girls Club

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dokter, Erin F.; Walker, C.; Peruta, C.; Ubach, C.; Sparks, R.; Pompea, S.

    2006-12-01

    In Summer and Fall 2006, the Hands-On Optics program of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) teamed up with two local Boys and Girls Clubs in the Tucson area to conduct informal education programs for elementary and middle school aged children. Hands-On Optics (HOO) is a collaborative program funded by NSF to create and sustain a unique, national, informal science education program to excite students about science by actively engaging them in optics activities. The program was designed especially to reach underserved students. In this talk, the successes and challenges of implementing these programs will be discussed, as well as the lessons learned in the process, which may be applied to other partnerships between EPO providers and informal learning venues.

  4. Confronting Barriers to Teaching Elementary Science: After-School Science Teaching Experiences for Preservice Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cartwright, Tina; Smith, Suzanne; Hallar, Brittan

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study examines the transition of eight elementary preservice teachers into student teaching after participating in a science methods course that included a significant amount of teaching after-school science to elementary grade students. These eight participants had a chance to practice teaching inquiry-based science and to reform…

  5. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Breakfast Clubs According to Parents, Children, and School Staff in the North East of England, UK

    PubMed Central

    Graham, Pamela Louise; Russo, Riccardo; Defeyter, Margaret Anne

    2015-01-01

    The provision of school breakfast has become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years. However, UK-based studies highlighting the views of parents, children, and school staff on school breakfast clubs are lacking. The current study set out to address this dearth in the literature by investigating the views of these key user and stakeholder groups on breakfast clubs within the North East of England. Fourteen parents, 21 children, and 17 school staff were recruited from four primary schools where breakfast clubs were available on site. Parents and school staff took part in semistructured interviews and children participated in focus groups, through which the advantages and disadvantages of breakfast clubs were discussed. Thematic analysis revealed that breakfast clubs provided children with a settled and enjoyable start to the school day. As well as providing children with a healthy and varied breakfast meal and unique opportunities for social interaction, breakfast clubs were recognized as an integral part of the school system that offered support to parents, particularly those who worked and relied on breakfast clubs as a means of affordable and reliable childcare. The few disadvantages identified related to practical issues such as a lack of adherence to school food standards, breakfast club staff missing class preparation time and concerns that some children were being excluded from participating in breakfast clubs particularly due to costs associated with attendance. The findings are discussed in relation to the School Food Plan, and areas for further investigation are proposed. PMID:26097840

  6. Association of Competition Volume, Club Sports, and Sport Specialization With Sex and Lower Extremity Injury History in High School Athletes

    PubMed Central

    Post, Eric G.; Bell, David R.; Trigsted, Stephanie M.; Pfaller, Adam Y.; Hetzel, Scott J.; Brooks, M. Alison; McGuine, Timothy A.

    2017-01-01

    Background: High school athletes are increasingly encouraged to participate in 1 sport year-round to increase their sport skills. However, no study has examined the association of competition volume, club sport participation, and sport specialization with sex and lower extremity injury (LEI) in a large sample of high school athletes. Hypothesis: Increased competition volume, participating on a club team outside of school sports, and high levels of specialization will all be associated with a history of LEI. Girls will be more likely to engage in higher competition volume, participate on a club team, and be classified as highly specialized. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: High school athletes completed a questionnaire prior to the start of their competitive season regarding their sport participation and previous injury history. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate associations of competition volume, club sport participation, and sport specialization with history of LEI, adjusting for sex. Results: A cohort of 1544 high school athletes (780 girls; grades 9-12) from 29 high schools completed the questionnaire. Girls were more likely to participate at high competition volume (23.2% vs 11.0%, χ2 = 84.7, P < 0.001), participate on a club team (61.2% vs 37.2%, χ2 = 88.3, P < 0.001), and be highly specialized (16.4% vs 10.4%, χ2 = 19.7, P < 0.001). Athletes with high competition volume, who participated in a club sport, or who were highly specialized had greater odds of reporting a previous LEI than those with low competition volume (odds ratio [OR], 2.08; 95% CI, 1.55-2.80; P < 0.001), no club sport participation (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.20-1.88; P < 0.001), or low specialization (OR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.88-3.54; P < 0.001), even after adjusting for sex. Conclusion: Participating in high sport volume, on a club team, or being highly specialized was associated with history of LEI. Girls were more likely to

  7. The Effects of an After-School Science Program on Middle School Female Students' Attitudes towards Science, Mathematics and Engineering.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ferreira, Maria M.

    This study examined the impact of an after-school science program that incorporated cooperative learning, hands-on activities, mentoring, and role models on a group of minority female students' attitudes toward science, engineering, and mathematics. Eighteen African American middle school students participated in the study. Seven female engineers…

  8. Strategy for implementing research in hydrology to promote space science among school children in Nigeria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alabi, Omowumi O.

    2015-04-01

    This paper describes a proposed activity to introduce school children in Nigeria to research in hydrology through the public outreach coordinated by the United Nations affiliated African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in English (ARCSSTE-E). Over the years, ARCSSTE-E has established a vibrant relationship with Nigerian schools through periodic zonal and national space educational workshops organized for students and teachers. The enthusiasm displayed by the students, coupled with the brilliant performance in the evaluation tests, indicated that this method of informal education is suitable for stimulating the interest of Nigerian pre-collegiate youths in space science and technology, and also to inspire the young learners and develop their interest in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Because only few representatives from each school can participate in these public outreach programs, it became expedient for the Centre to inaugurate space clubs in schools as a forum for students and teachers to meet regularly to discuss space related issues. Since the first space club was officially launched in 2007, the Centre has inaugurated over 300 space clubs in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, strategically distributed over the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The presentation highlights a space club activity designed to introduce the students to precipitation data collection, with locally fabricated rain gauges. The paper also documents the proposed post-data collection activities in which ARCSSTE-E, acting as the coordinating Centre will collaborate with other national and international organizations to standardize and utilize the rainfall data collected by the students for ground validation of satellite data from the Global Precipitation Measurement. Key words: Public Outreach, Space Club, Human Capacity Development, Hydrologic Research, Global Precipitation Measurement.

  9. Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School (PASS) Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Coleman, Clarence D.; Hathaway, Roger (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School Project (PASS) Project was granted a one-year no cost extension for 2001-2002. In year three of the project, objectives and strategies were modified based on the previous year-end evaluation. The recommendations were incorporated and the program was replicated within most of the remaining elementary schools in Portsmouth, Virginia and continued in the four middle schools. The Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School Project is a partnership, which includes Norfolk State University, Cooperating Hampton Roads Organizations for Minorities in Engineering (CHROME), NASA Langley Research Center, and the City of Portsmouth, Virginia Public Schools. The project seeks to strengthen the knowledge of Portsmouth Public Schools students in the field of atmospheric sciences and enhance teacher awareness of hands on activities in the atmospheric sciences. The project specifically seeks to: 1) increase the interest and participation of elementary and middle school students in science and mathematics; 2) strengthen existing science programs; and 3) facilitate greater achievement in core subjects, which are necessary for math, science, and technical careers. Emphasis was placed on providing training activities, materials and resources for elementary students (grades 3 - 5) and middle school students (grades 6 - 8), and teachers through a CHROME club structure. The first year of the project focused on introducing elementary students to concepts and activities in atmospheric science. Year two of the project built on the first year's activities and utilizes advanced topics and activities appropriate for middle school students. During the third year of the project, in addition to the approaches used in years one and two, emphasis was placed on activities that enhanced the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL).

  10. Neuroscience Club in SKKK3 and SMSTMFP: The Brain Apprentice Project.

    PubMed

    Mohd Ibrahim, Seri Dewi; Muda, Mazinah

    2015-01-01

    Sekolah Menengah Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra (SMSTMFP) and Sekolah Kebangsaan Kubang Kerian (3) (SKKK3) were selected by the Department of Neurosciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), in 2011 to be a 'school-based Neuroscience Club' via the 'Knowledge Transfer Programme (KTP) - Community' project. This community project was known as "The Brain Apprentice Project". The objectives of this project were to promote science and the neurosciences beyond conventional classroom teachings whilst guiding creativity and innovation as well as to assist in the delivery of neuroscience knowledge through graduate interns as part of the cultivation of neuroscience as a fruitful future career option. All of the planned club activities moulded the students to be knowledgeable individuals with admirable leadership skills, which will help the schools produce more scientists, technocrats and professionals who can fulfil the requirements of our religion, race and nation in the future. Some of the activities carried out over the years include the "My Brain Invention Competition", "Mini Brain Bee Contest", "Recycled Melody" and "Brain Dissection". These activities educated the students well and improved their confidence levels in their communication and soft skills. The participation of the students in international-level competition, such as the "International Brain Bee", was one of the ways future professionals were created for the nation. The implementation of Neuroscience Club as one of the organisations in the school's cocurriculum was an appropriate step in transferring science and neuroscience knowledge and skills from a higher education institution, namely USM, to both of the schools, SMSTMFP and SKKK3. The club members showed great interest in all of the club's activities and their performance on the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) or Primary School Achievement Test and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or Malaysian Certificate of Education examinations improved

  11. The Clio Club: An Extracurricular Model for Elementary Social Studies Enrichment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morris, Ronald Vaughan

    2008-01-01

    This article describes an extracurricular social studies enrichment program called the Clio Club. "Clio" is derived from the Greek muse of history, and the club offers a variety of activities to help students discover and interpret social studies beyond the traditional school hours. They meet after school and on weekends both at their…

  12. Evaluation of Students' Perceptions about Efficiency of Educational Club Practices in Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gelen, Ismail; Onay, Ihsan; Varol, Volkan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the efficiency of "Educational Club Practices" that has been in Elementary School program since 2005-2006, by examining the attitudes of students about "Educational Club Practices". Sample was selected in two steps. First, stratified sampling was employed and then random sampling was…

  13. The Clubbers' Guide: Ideas for Science/STEM Clubs from... Books!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howarth, Sue

    2013-01-01

    The internet is certainly a speedy way of finding plenty of information when searching for ideas for science or other STEM clubs. There are many helpful websites, such as that of the British Science Association, with their "free project resources" pages, which include "pick up and run" projects that can be linked to CREST…

  14. [Theories of evolution shaping Victorian anthropology. The science-politics of the X-Club, 1860-1872].

    PubMed

    Gondermann, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    This paper discusses the role that a group of evolutionists, the X-Club, played in the epistemic and institutional transformation of Victorian anthropology in the 1860s. It analyses how anthropology has been brought into line with the theory of evolution, which gained currency at the same time. The X-Club was a highly influential pressure group in the Victorian scientific community. It campaigned for the theory of evolution in several fields of the natural sciences and had a considerable influence on the modernization of the sciences. Yet, this club also intervened in the anthropological discourse of these years. The X-Club's meddling with anthropology led to the latter's evolutionary turn. The introduction of an evolutionary agenda into Victorian anthropology depended not only on the X-Club's theoretical contributions but also on the structural reformation of the discipline. Its campaigns also aimed at marginalizing the proponents of pre-evolutionary anthropology in its institutions and led to the foundation of a new organization in anthropology: The Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. Thus, evolutionary anthropology emerged in the 1860s also as the result of science-politicking rather than just from the transmission of evolutionary concepts through discourse.

  15. Extracurricular School Clubs: A Time for Fun and Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pence, Alicia R.; Dymond, Stacy K.

    2015-01-01

    Inclusion in school clubs affords students with severe disabilities learning opportunities as well as a natural context for addressing curricula. These learning opportunities expand the number of settings in which students can practice, master, and generalize skills associated with priority IEP objectives. Teaching skills within natural activities…

  16. How high school science-related experiences influenced science career persistence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaw, Andrew D.

    The events of 9/11 brought into focus two ongoing trends that were present before this tragedy and have continued since: (1) The United States needs more scientists if it is to ensure its freedoms and maintain its economy. (2) The number of scientists in the "pipeline" is declining because of the diminished presence of foreign scientists (they are wanted in their own countries), the under-representation of minorities and women, and the reduced numbers of students able and willing to take on the scholastic rigors necessary for a science or engineering degree. Though much has been written about improving science education, and numerous projects have been conducted to promote it, few education researchers have questioned the scientists themselves about the experiences, practices, and people that positively influenced them, particularly during their pre-college years. Towards this end, thirty-two scientists were interviewed in order to address four research questions: (1) How did practicing scientists' personal relationships with their science teachers influence their decision to pursue a career in science? (2) What pedagogical methods (e.g. lectures, demonstrations, "hands-on" work, problem solving, small groups) used in their high school science courses, if any, played a significant role in propelling certain students towards a career as a practicing scientist? (3) What high school science-related support structures (e.g. labs, equipment, textbooks, technology), if any, played a significant role in propelling certain students towards a career as a practicing scientist? (4) What high school science-related educational activities (e.g. science fairs, clubs, summer internships), if any, played a significant role in propelling certain students towards a career as a practicing scientist? Some of the scientists reported that they knew they were headed towards a career in science before they even entered high school, while others did not make a decision about a science

  17. Developing the Inner Scientist: Book Club Participation and the Nature of Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffard, Phyllis Baudoin; Mosleh, Tayseer; Kubba, Saad

    2013-01-01

    The leap from science student to scientist involves recognizing that science is a tentative, evolving body of knowledge that is socially constructed and culturally influenced; this is known as The Nature of Science (NOS). The aim of this study was to document NOS growth in first-year premedical students who participated in a science book club as a…

  18. Can the implementation of aerospace science in elementary school help girls maintain their confidence and engagement in science as they transition to middle school?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solberg, Margot

    2018-06-01

    There is a global crisis due to a lack of qualified applicants entering STEM careers, especially in science. Add the fact that women are greatly underrepresented in science, and the solution becomes obvious. Go to the source, and find out why girls as young as 12 years old are losing an interest in scientific endeavors that they once found to be captivating. This action research project sought to find out if the implementation of aerospace science, embedded both in the classroom and in an after school Space Club, could assist girls in maintaining their confidence and engagement in science overall as they transition to middle school. Furthermore, girls in fifth through seventh grade, who had previously been the teacher researcher's students, were included in the study in order to discover if their previous participation in a variety of authentic and ongoing aerospace activities had any impact upon their engagement in science as they entered the notable years of declined interest. The research took place at an international American school, Academia Cotopaxi, in Quito, Ecuador from September 2015 through April 2016. Data was collected through both qualitative and quantitative sources, and included attitude surveys, parent questionnaires, a writing prompt, photos, video, interviews and observations. Additionally, a control group was utilized in grades five to seven for purposes of comparison. Innovative activities included engaging and first-hand experiences with the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency (EXA), the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA), Space X and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Inquiry-based activities included, but were not limited to, experiences with: speaking live with both astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station, robotics, rocketry, Skype chats with aerospace professionals, utilizing the Design Process, online resources and more. Findings suggested that embedding aerospace science in grade four, both during and after

  19. "Talk What Others Think You Can't Talk": HIV/AIDS Clubs as Peer Education in Ugandan Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norton, Bonny; Mutonyi, Harriet

    2007-01-01

    In this article, we make the case that HIV/AIDS clubs in Ugandan schools provide valuable information to students who may not have easy access to health services. As one club motto suggests, the clubs "talk what others think you can't talk". The innovative peer education methods, which include drama, popular culture and community…

  20. Before-School Running/Walking Club and Student Physical Activity Levels: An Efficacy Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stylianou, Michalis; van der Mars, Hans; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; Adams, Marc A.; Mahar, Matthew; Amazeen, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Before-school programs, one of the least studied student-related comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) components, may be a promising strategy to help youth meet the physical activity (PA) guidelines. This study's purpose was to examine: (a) how much PA children accrued during a before-school running/walking club and…

  1. Confronting Assumptions, Biases, and Stereotypes in Preservice Teachers' Conceptualizations of Science Teaching through the Use of Book Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mensah, Felicia Moore

    2009-01-01

    This study focuses on the structure and theoretical foundations of the book club for promoting multicultural understandings in science teacher education. The book club was defined as an informal, peer-directed group discussion that met regularly to discuss an ethnographic, multicultural text regarding issues pertinent to science teaching and…

  2. Eliciting and utilizing rural students' funds of knowledge in the service of science learning: An action research study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lloyd, Ellen M.

    Several researchers have pointed out the failures of current schooling to adequately prepare students in science and called for radical reform in science education to address the problem. One dominant critique of science education is that several groups of students are not well served by current school science practices and discourses. Rural students represent one of these underserved populations. Yet, there is little in the literature that speaks specifically to reforming the science education of rural students. Utilizing action research as a methodology, this study was designed to learn more about the unique knowledge and life experiences of rural students, and how these unique knowledge, skills and interests could suggest new ways to improve science education in rural schools. Informed by this ultimate goal, I created an after school science club where the participating high school students engaged in solving a local watershed problem, while explicitly bringing to bear their unique backgrounds, local knowledge and life experiences from living in a rural area of Upstate New York. Using Funds of Knowledge as the theoretical framework, this after-school club served as the context to investigate the following research questions: (1) What science-related funds of knowledge do rural high school students have? (2) How were these funds of knowledge capitalized on to support science learning in an after-school setting?

  3. Use of a Journal Club for Professional Development: Outcomes in a School-Based Occupational Therapy Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szucs, Kimberly A.; Benson, Jeryl D.; Corturillo, Amanda

    2016-01-01

    This article investigates the outcomes of a journal club on the evidence-based practice (EBP) skills of school-based practitioners. Participants' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of EBP were collected using pre- and postsurveys following 6 monthly journal club sessions. Participants identified time, availability of articles, and decreased…

  4. Healthy Living Initiative: Running/Walking Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stylianou, Michalis; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; Kloeppel, Tiffany

    2014-01-01

    This study was grounded in the public health literature and the call for schools to serve as physical activity intervention sites. Its purpose was twofold: (a) to examine the daily distance covered by students in a before-school running/walking club throughout 1 school year and (b) to gain insights on the teachers perspectives of the club.…

  5. The relationship between club drug use and other drug use: a survey of New York City middle school students.

    PubMed

    Goldsamt, Lloyd A; O'Brien, Julie; Clatts, Michael C; McGuire, Laura Silver

    2005-01-01

    In order to explore the relationship between use of club drugs (crystal methamphetamine, ecstasy, GHB, ketamine), and use of other drugs, survey data collected from 23,780 middle school students in New York City during 2002-2003 was examined. Results of HGLM analyses (a generalization of HLM to accommodate nonlinear outcomes), controlling for the effect of school, indicate that Black students are less likely than White students to use club drugs depending on the timeframe of use. The use of alcohol and/or marijuana predict club drug use regardless of the timeframe of use, and lifetime cigarette use predicts lifetime club drug use. Recommendations for future research and prevention efforts are discussed.

  6. Supporting the Academic Excellence, Engagement, and College Readiness of High School ESOL Students through ESOL Student Service Learning Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maina, Nyambura Susan; McGaughey, Trisha; Wade, Julie

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Student Service Learning (SSL) Club on academic and non-academic outcomes for students receiving ESOL services during 2012-2013 in six high schools in Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS). The ESOL SSL Club convenes regularly…

  7. Teachers' Beliefs about the Participation of Students with Severe Disabilities in School Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pence, Alicia R.; Dymond, Stacy K.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' beliefs about the participation of students with severe disabilities (SD) in school clubs. Participants were special education teachers (N = 60) of middle and junior high school students with SD from one state. Data were collected using a survey. Results indicate that teachers value including…

  8. An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Learners' Attitudes towards Learning Science and Characteristics of an Afterschool Science Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agunbiade, Esther; Ngcoza, Kenneth; Jawahar, Kavish; Sewry, Joyce

    2017-01-01

    The Khanya Maths and Science Club (KMSC) is an afterschool science/maths enrichment programme for learners in Grades 7-12 supported by postgraduate students and academic staff volunteers. This research seeks to explore the relationship between participating learners' attitude toward learning science and the characteristics of this afterschool…

  9. Multicultural Mosaic: A Family Book Club.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dias-Mitchell, Laurie; Harris, Elizabeth

    2001-01-01

    Authors, a library media specialist and a literature/language arts teacher, both recipients of Theodore R. Sizer Fellowships, describe their joint project, "Multicultural Mosaic: A Family Book Club." Their proposal was to strengthen the home-school connection by establishing a book club accessible to all middle and high school students…

  10. Implementing the Lab School Club Model at the Academy in Manayunk

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herman, Chris

    2010-01-01

    Central to The Lab School model is Sally Smith's Club Methodology, the full immersion of students into a time period where historical information is learned through multi-sensory activities. While immersed, through the use of costumes and elaborately decorated classrooms, students are engaged in project-based learning. As the student's…

  11. What We've Learned: The Reading Connections Book Club after Two Years.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanning, Eileen

    1998-01-01

    Describes the Book Club of Reading Connection, a nonprofit organization in Virginia, that gives books to children in homeless shelters and for up to one year after they leave the shelter. The key to the book club's effectiveness and its longevity is communication between the Reading Connection and the families. (SLD)

  12. Fostering Global Citizenship Dispositions: The Long-Term Impact of Participating in a High School Global Service Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moffa, Eric D.

    2016-01-01

    To assist teachers in fostering students' global citizenship dispositions through service experiences, this article reports findings from a case study that investigated one high school's global service club and its impact on former club members' global awareness and global citizenship dispositions. Data were collected from Web-based documents and…

  13. Redesigning Journal Clubs to Staying Current with the Literature.

    PubMed

    Dickerson, Roland N; Wood, G Christopher; Swanson, Joseph M; Brown, Rex O

    2017-11-06

    Staying current with the literature is of paramount importance to the pharmacist engaged in an evidence-based clinical practice. Given the expanding roles and responsibilities of today's pharmacists combined with exponential growth in new medical and health sciences literature, staying current has become an extremely daunting task. Traditional journal clubs have focused upon their role as a training vehicle for teaching critical reading skills to residents. However, schools of pharmacy are now required to provide instruction in biostatistics, research design, and interpretation. We present a paradigm shift in the traditional journal club model whereby a collection of periodicals is screened and a short synopsis of the pertinent articles is provided. The associated tasks for screening and presenting of the primary literature are shared among a group of clinicians and trainees with similar practice interests resulting in a more reasonable workload for the individual. This journal club method was effective in identifying a significant majority of articles judged to be pertinent by independent groups of clinicians in the same practice arenas. Details regarding the shared core practice and knowledge base elements, journal club format, identification of journals, and evaluation of the success of the journal club technique are provided.

  14. What A Booster Club Can Do.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hidinger, George

    This speech was presented at the 1976 American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation national convention by the principal of an Iowa high school. It discusses the development and effectiveness of the Jefferson High School Booster Club which was developed by an interested parent and has been quite successful. The club has assisted…

  15. Education Outreach Associated with Technology Transfer in a Colonia of South Texas: Green Valley Farms Science and Space Club for Middle School Aged Children in Green Valley Farms, San Benito, Texas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Potess, Marla D.; Rainwater, Ken; Muirhead, Dean

    2004-01-01

    Texas colonias are unincorporated subdivisions characterized by inadequate water and wastewater infrastructure, inadequate drainage and road infrastructure, substandard housing, and poverty. Since 1989 the Texas Legislature has implemented policies to halt further development of colonias and to address water and wastewater infrastructure needs in existing and new colonias along the border with Mexico. Government programs and non-government and private organization projects aim to address these infrastructure needs. Texas Tech University's Water Resources Center demonstrated the use of alternative on-site wastewater treatment in the Green Valley Farms colonia, San Benito, Texas. The work in Green Valley Farms was a component of a NASA-funded project entitled Evaluation of NASA's Advanced Life Support Integrated Water Recovery System for Non-Optimal Conditions and Terrestrial Applications. Two households within the colonia are demonstration sites for constructed wetlands. A colonia resident and activist identified educational opportunities for colonia children as a primary goal for many colonia residents. Colonia parents view education as the door to opportunity and escape from poverty for their children. The educational outreach component of the project in Green Valley Farms was a Science and Space Club for middle-school age students. Involved parents, schoolteachers, and school administrators enthusiastically supported the monthly club meetings and activities. Each month, students participated in interactive learning experiences about water use and reuse in space and on earth. Activities increased knowledge and interest in water resource issues and in science and engineering fields. The Institute for the Development and Enrichment of Advanced Learners (IDEAL) at Texas Tech University provided full scholarships for five students from Green Valley Farms to attend the Shake Hands With Your Future camp at Texas Tech University in June 2003. The educational outreach

  16. Investigating the Interactions, Beliefs, and Practices of Teacher-Coach Teams in a STEM After-School Setting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swanson Hoyle, Kylie Jayne

    After-school programs, such as a STEM Career Club, can promote student interest, engagement, and awareness of STEM majors and fields, as well as encourage teachers to become more knowledgeable and competent in STEM areas. In this dissertation study, two schools were selected from a larger NSF-funded project to participate in this study. Teacher- Coaches (T-Coaches) from two rural middle schools in the southeastern United States (U.S.) participated in teacher professional development (TPD) sessions and Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings to prepare them to lead an after-school STEM Club. The Community of Practice (CoP) framework and Social Cognitive Theory are employed to investigate underlying factors that contribute to teacher interactions and preparations, and differing STEM program outcomes. Data from the Dimensions of Success (DoS) observation tool, the teacher belief interview (TBI), T-Coach participation and attendance at TPD, attendance and audio recordings from PLC meetings, and T-Coach card sorts were analyzed over approximately 6 meetings for 5 months. Findings are presented in two chapters. In Chapter Four, a comparative case study of the interactions of the teachers at two participating middle schools is analyzed. Results indicate that for each case, the club's T-Coaches interacted positively to prepare for club meetings and have a well-functioning CoP within their PLC. The first case (Northern Middle School) interacted in ways that aligned with the CoP framework (enterprise and repertoire), which led them to achieve, on average, desirable ratings on 7 of the 12 DoS dimensions. However, the other case (Southern Middle School), the T-Coaches interacted in ways that demonstrated more equal levels of enterprise, mutuality, and repertoire; this PLC had higher DoS ratings during the STEM Clubs in all dimensions (11/12 met desirable ratings). These findings suggest that high levels of all of the social learning characteristics within PLCs can

  17. Perceptions of a Gay-Straight Alliance Club Ban: School Counselors and Advocacy for LGBTQQ Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lassiter, Pamela S.; Sifford, Amy McCarthy

    2015-01-01

    This phenomenological inquiry explored the experiences and reactions of five school counselors who worked in a school that banned a Gay-Straight Alliance club. Specifically, the authors examined how counselors' perceptions of the ban influenced their advocacy for LGBTQQ students. The results of semi-structured interviews revealed one overarching…

  18. ICTs as Placed Resources in a Rural Kenyan Secondary School Journalism Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kendrick, Maureen; Chemjor, Walter; Early, Margaret

    2012-01-01

    In this study, we draw on three interrelated concepts, i.e. placed resources, multiliteracies and the carnivalesque, to understand how information and communication technology (ICT) resources are taken up within the context of a print-based journalism club. Our research participants attend an under-resourced girls' residential secondary school in…

  19. Redesigning Journal Clubs to Staying Current with the Literature

    PubMed Central

    Dickerson, Roland N.; Wood, G. Christopher; Swanson, Joseph M.; Brown, Rex O.

    2017-01-01

    Staying current with the literature is of paramount importance to the pharmacist engaged in an evidence-based clinical practice. Given the expanding roles and responsibilities of today’s pharmacists combined with exponential growth in new medical and health sciences literature, staying current has become an extremely daunting task. Traditional journal clubs have focused upon their role as a training vehicle for teaching critical reading skills to residents. However, schools of pharmacy are now required to provide instruction in biostatistics, research design, and interpretation. We present a paradigm shift in the traditional journal club model whereby a collection of periodicals is screened and a short synopsis of the pertinent articles is provided. The associated tasks for screening and presenting of the primary literature are shared among a group of clinicians and trainees with similar practice interests resulting in a more reasonable workload for the individual. This journal club method was effective in identifying a significant majority of articles judged to be pertinent by independent groups of clinicians in the same practice arenas. Details regarding the shared core practice and knowledge base elements, journal club format, identification of journals, and evaluation of the success of the journal club technique are provided. PMID:29113107

  20. Physical Activity and Psychological Correlates during an After-School Running Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kahan, David; McKenzie, Thomas L.

    2018-01-01

    Background: After-school programs (ASPs) have the potential to contribute to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), but there is limited empirical evidence to guide their development and implementation. Purpose: This study assessed the replication of an elementary school running program and identified psychological correlates of children's…

  1. From Guide to Practice: Improving Your After School Science Program to Increase Student Academic Achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, J.

    2013-12-01

    Numerous science organizations, such as NASA, offer educational outreach activities geared towards after school. For some programs, the primary goal is to grow students' love of science. For others, the programs are also intended to increase academic achievement. For those programs looking to support student learning in out-of-school time environments, aligning the program with learning during the classroom day can be a challenge. The Institute for Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse, put together a 'Practice Guide' for maximizing learning time beyond the regular school day. These practice guides provide concrete recommendations for educators supported by research. While this guide is not specific to any content or subject-area, the recommendations provided align very well with science education. After school science is often viewed as a fun, dynamic environment for students. Indeed, one of the recommendations to ensure time is structured according to students' needs is to provide relevant and interesting experiences. Given that our after school programs provide such creative environments for students, what other components are needed to promote increased academic achievement? The recommendations provided to academic achievement, include: 1. Align Instruction, 2. Maximize Attendance and Participation, 3. Adapt Instruction, 4. Provide Engaging Experiences, and 5. Evaluate Program. In this session we will examine these five recommendations presented in the Practice Guide, discuss how these strategies align with science programs, and examine what questions each program should address in order to provide experiences that lend themselves to maximizing instruction. Roadblocks and solutions for overcoming challenges in each of the five areas will be presented. Jessica Taylor will present this research based on her role as an author on the Practice Guide, 'Improving Academic Achievement in Out-of-School Time' and her experience working in various informal science

  2. Health literacy and participation in sports club activities among adolescents.

    PubMed

    Paakkari, Leena; Kokko, Sami; Villberg, Jari; Paakkari, Olli; Tynjälä, Jorma

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this research was to compare the levels of perceived health literacy among adolescents who do or do not participate in sports club activities. Organized sport club activities reach a high proportion of adolescents, and have the potential to contribute to the development of their health literacy. The cross-sectional data on health literacy among school children in Finland (aged 13 and 15, n=3852) were measured, as a part of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study, using the Health Literacy for School-aged Children (HLSAC) instrument. Sports club participation and its association with health literacy were examined in relation to age, gender, family affluence, school achievement, and physical activity. The statistical analyses included cross-tabulation and the multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analyses. Perceived health literacy was higher among adolescents who participated in sports club activities. This conclusion was valid for boys and girls, for both age groups, among those who were physically active 6-7 days a week, had at least moderate school achievement, and those who belonged to the middle or high affluence families. From the health literacy perspective, participation in sports club activities was especially beneficial for those having low or moderate school achievement level. The sports club setting may work towards equalizing health literacy differences related to school achievement. However, the clubs should ensure that access is available to as many adolescents as possible; by this means they may spread beneficial influences, supporting the development of health literacy among broader population groups.

  3. Neuroscience Club in SKKK3 and SMSTMFP: The Brain Apprentice Project

    PubMed Central

    MOHD IBRAHIM, Seri Dewi; MUDA, Mazinah

    2015-01-01

    Sekolah Menengah Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra (SMSTMFP) and Sekolah Kebangsaan Kubang Kerian (3) (SKKK3) were selected by the Department of Neurosciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), in 2011 to be a ‘school-based Neuroscience Club’ via the ‘Knowledge Transfer Programme (KTP) – Community’ project. This community project was known as “The Brain Apprentice Project”. The objectives of this project were to promote science and the neurosciences beyond conventional classroom teachings whilst guiding creativity and innovation as well as to assist in the delivery of neuroscience knowledge through graduate interns as part of the cultivation of neuroscience as a fruitful future career option. All of the planned club activities moulded the students to be knowledgeable individuals with admirable leadership skills, which will help the schools produce more scientists, technocrats and professionals who can fulfil the requirements of our religion, race and nation in the future. Some of the activities carried out over the years include the “My Brain Invention Competition”, “Mini Brain Bee Contest”, “Recycled Melody” and “Brain Dissection”. These activities educated the students well and improved their confidence levels in their communication and soft skills. The participation of the students in international-level competition, such as the “International Brain Bee”, was one of the ways future professionals were created for the nation. The implementation of Neuroscience Club as one of the organisations in the school’s cocurriculum was an appropriate step in transferring science and neuroscience knowledge and skills from a higher education institution, namely USM, to both of the schools, SMSTMFP and SKKK3. The club members showed great interest in all of the club’s activities and their performance on the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) or Primary School Achievement Test and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or Malaysian Certificate of

  4. Meeting after meeting: 20 years of discoveries by the members of the Exocytosis-Endocytosis Club.

    PubMed

    Niedergang, Florence; Gasman, Stéphane; Vitale, Nicolas; Desnos, Claire; Lamaze, Christophe

    2017-09-01

    Twenty years ago, a group of French cell biologists merged two scientific clubs with the aim of bringing together researchers in the fields of Endocytosis and Exocytosis. Founded in 1997, the first annual meeting of the Exocytosis Club was held in 1998. The Endocytosis Club held quarterly meetings from its founding in 1999. The first joint annual meeting of the Exocytosis-Endocytosis Club took place in Paris in April, 2001. What started as a modest gathering of enthusiastic scientists working in the field of cell trafficking has gone from strength to strength, rapidly becoming an unmissable yearly meeting, vividly demonstrating the high quality of science performed in our community and beyond. On the occasion of the 20th meeting of our club, we want to provide historic insight into the fields of exocytosis and endocytosis, and by extension, to subcellular trafficking, highlighting how French scientists have contributed to major advances in these fields. Today, the Exocytosis-Endocytosis Club represents a vibrant and friendly community that will hold its 20th meeting at the Presqu'Ile de Giens, near Toulon in the South of France, on May 11-13, 2017. © 2017 Société Française des Microscopies and Société de Biologie Cellulaire de France. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Lead-Testing Service to Elementary and Secondary Schools Using Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goebel, Amanda; Vos, Tracy; Louwagie, Anne; Lundbohm, Laura; Brown, Jay H.

    2004-02-01

    This article outlines a successful community service project that involved members of our undergraduate chemistry club and area elementary schools. Elementary school students from various science classes throughout the region collected drinking water samples and mailed them to the university for analysis. Chemistry club members analyzed the water samples for possible lead contamination using anodic stripping voltammetry. The results and experimental data were returned to the science teachers for use in a variety of class projects. Chemistry club members presented their work during our annual Environmental Chemistry Conference. All participating science classes were invited to the conference. Over the years, participation in this project has steadily increased to its current enrollment of 28 science classes throughout the region.

  6. Reflection after teaching a lesson: Experiences of secondary school science teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Halstead, Melissa A.

    Secondary science teachers spend most of their time planning, collaborating, and teaching, but spend little time reflecting after teaching a single lesson. The theoretical framework of the adult learning theory and the transformative learning theory was the basis of this study. This qualitative research study was conducted to understand the reflective experiences of secondary science educators after teaching a single or several lessons. The collection of data consisted of interviews from a group of purposefully selected secondary science teachers who met the criteria set forth by the researcher. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews and field notes, the researcher determined that the secondary science teachers in this study shared similar as well as different experiences regarding collaborative and individual reflection after teaching a single or several lessons. The findings from this study also suggested that secondary science educators prefer to collaboratively reflect and then reflect alone to allow for further thought. Additionally, a supportive school culture increases the secondary science teacher’s desire to engage in collaborative as well as individual reflection. The information from this study could be used to close the gaps that exist in the teacher professional development programs.

  7. Lessons of Researcher-Teacher Co-design of an Environmental Health Afterschool Club Curriculum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hundal, Savreen; Levin, Daniel M.; Keselman, Alla

    2014-06-01

    This paper addresses the impact of teachers' beliefs about argumentation and their community of practice framed views of teaching on co-designing an environmental health afterschool club curriculum with researchers. Our team collaborated with a group of four middle school teachers, asking them to co-design a club that would facilitate (1) students' understanding of environmental health, (2) use of electronic resources, and (3) argumentation skills. The process included researcher-led sessions emphasizing the importance of argumentation to science and teacher-led curriculum design sessions. The qualitative analysis of the meetings and teacher interview transcripts suggests that while teachers viewed argumentation as important, its practice was relegated to the background by the focus on student engagement and perceived logistical and systemic constraints. The paper concludes that in addition to stressing relevance of argumentation to science learning, researchers involved in co-design need to emphasize the potential of argumentation to engage students and to fit into science curriculum. The analysis also reveals teacher-participants' views of environmental health as an important area of middle school education, relevant to students' lives, linkable to the existing curriculum, essential for informed citizenship, and capable of inspiring interest in science. These findings underscore the importance of integrating environmental health into science education and advocating for its inclusion in informal and formal educational settings.

  8. Creating alternatives in science

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Traditional scientist training at the PhD level does not prepare students to be competitive in biotechnology or other non-academic science careers. Some universities have developed biotechnology-relevant doctoral programmes, but most have not. Forming a life science career club makes a statement to university administrators that it is time to rework the curriculum to include biotechnology-relevant training. A career club can supplement traditional PhD training by introducing students to available career choices, help them develop a personal network and teach the business skills that they will need to be competitive in science outside of academia. This paper is an instructional guide designed to help students create a science career club at their own university. These suggestions are based on the experience gained in establishing such a club for the Graduate School at the University of Colorado Denver. We describe the activities that can be offered, the job descriptions for the offices required and potential challenges. With determination, a creative spirit, and the guidance of this paper, students should be able to greatly increase awareness of science career options, and begin building the skills necessary to become competitive in non-academic science. PMID:20161069

  9. Taking risks with a growth mindset: long-term influence of an elementary pre-service after school science practicum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cartwright, T. J.; Hallar, B.

    2018-02-01

    In this study, we present the long-term influence of an after school science practicum associated with an elementary science methods course. The practicum or field experience could be considered a community-based service learning programme as it is situated both within and for the community. Study participants included eight third- and fifth-grade teachers who had participated in elementary science methods courses; four of these teachers participated in the after school teaching practicum while four participants experienced a more traditional observation-based elementary science practicum. All of these teachers were in their second or third year teaching which was 3-4 years after taking the methods course. Investigation methods included questionnaires, field observations and semi-structured, individual interviews. Teachers more regularly utilised reform-based teaching strategies and cited the after school teaching practicum as preparing them to use these strategies in their own classrooms. All teachers exhibited a growth mindset to some degree, but the after school practicum participants did demonstrate a wider use of reformed-based teaching strategies and a higher growth mindset. Elementary teachers perceive risk associated with these key aspects of instruction: (1) managing instruction and classroom management, (2) teaching science through guided inquiry, and (3) overcoming adoptions in other 'mandated' curriculum like math and reading.

  10. A Black Feminist Book Club as a Multicultural Professional Development Model for Inservice Secondary Science Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoard, Althea B.

    According to science teacher educators, science teachers often struggle to embrace and implement multicultural teaching practices due to limited awareness of the biases, assumptions, and oppressive structures that hinder the success of Students of Color in science classrooms. At its core, teachers lack this awareness due to incomplete understanding of the ways identity markers, such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status, work together to shape one's coming into, understanding of, and success in the sciences. To this end, this case study features four science teachers of diverse backgrounds who engaged in a book club structured to support their understanding of their intersectionality and their identity development. These four science teachers met as a science department to engage with the text Black Feminist Thought (BFT) (Collins, 2009) and other critical texts over a six-month period at a New York City, charter high school. The findings revealed the ways racial stereotypes, propagated by many factors--including images of scientists, relationships with teachers, and expectations of peers and family--influenced their coming into and understanding of science. Additionally, the findings show the ways teachers discovered their intersectionality--particularly the interplay of their race and gender--influenced their approaches to teaching science. As teachers learned about the multidimensionality of their positional identities, they became aware of discriminatory structures of power that disadvantage their Black female science students and reported implementing more student-centered pedagogical practices. Altogether, this study offers a professional development model for building critical consciousness with inservice secondary science teachers.

  11. Influence of a Science-Focused After-School Program on Underrepresented High-School Students' Science Attitudes and Trajectory: A Survey Validation Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puvirajah, Anton; Verma, Geeta; Li, Hongli; Martin-Hansen, Lisa

    2015-01-01

    As engagement with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) increases in after-school programs (ASPs), it is important to examine the impact of this engagement on students' academic achievement, STEM participation, and affinity toward STEM. Results of these examinations can offer insights into both best practices that could be…

  12. More than Just a Meal: Breakfast Club Attendance and Children's Social Relationships.

    PubMed

    Defeyter, Margaret Anne; Graham, Pamela Louise; Russo, Riccardo

    2015-01-01

    The health benefits of school food have been widely promoted in recent years while the social opportunities that surround eating occasions at school have received little attention. Breakfast clubs (BCs), which take place at the start of the school day, offer a unique opportunity for children to consume a breakfast meal on their school premises in the company of their peers. Alternatively, after-school clubs (ASCs), which take place on school premises at the end of the school day, whilst also providing children with social opportunities tend to focus on sports engagement and skill development. The aim of the current paper is to investigate whether attendance at BCs and ASCs has an impact on children's friendship quality and experiences of peer victimization. BC attendees, ASC attendees, and non-attendees completed the Friendship Qualities Scale and the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS) at two time points. Time-1 data were collected 2 months after the introduction of school clubs. Time-2 data were then collected on the same measures again 6 months later. Results of the analyses of Time-1 data showed no significant differences between groups on any of the measures at Time-1. However, at Time-2, BC attendees showed improved levels of friendship quality compared to the other two groups. Moreover, analysis of the MPVS data at Time-2 showed that children who attended BC or ASC experienced a decline in victimization across time. The current findings suggest that BC attendance facilitates the quality of children's relationships with their best friend over time. Additionally, attendance at a breakfast or ASC was associated with a reduction in victimization over time. The results have implications for utilization of breakfast and ASCs to aid children's social relationships in school over time.

  13. The Peritext Book Club: Reading to Foster Critical Thinking about STEAM Texts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gross, Melissa; Latham, Don; Underhill, Jennifer; Bak, Hyerin

    2016-01-01

    An after-school book club, led by the school librarian, was held to test the efficacy of the peritextual literacy framework (PLF) in teaching skills related to critical thinking, problem solving, information literacy, and media literacy. The PLF is an extension of paratext theory developed by Gérard Genette, which provides a typology of the…

  14. A Different Kind of Book Club.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lesperance, Gerald

    2002-01-01

    Describes one teacher's experiences developing a book group for students in his suburban New York high school. Rather than attending required meetings, students read any book they chose and submitted book reviews on a book club bulletin board. For each book completed, students received a free book and eligibility to attend book club sponsored…

  15. Contributions of Environmental Clubs toward Improved Environmental Programs in Selected Secondary Schools in Ibadan, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ana, G. R. E. E.; Oloruntoba, E. O.; Sridhar, M. K. C.

    2009-01-01

    The descriptive cross-sectional study assessed contributions of Youth Environmental Scout (YES) clubs toward sustainable environmental programs in selected schools in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria. It involved administration of questionnaires, in-depth interviews and observation checklists and results were analyzed using SPSS 10 software package.…

  16. Boys and Girls: Join the Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    D'Allesandro, Lou; Wool, Michael; McKenzie, Mary Alice

    2012-01-01

    Boys & Girls Clubs of America count 4,000 community-based clubs serving more than 4 million young people through membership and community outreach. They provide a safe place to spend time during non-school hours and the summer as an alternative to the streets or being home alone--a place to play, have fun and learn. Boys & Girls Clubs…

  17. Youth Sport Development through Soccer: An Evaluation of an After-School Program Using the TPSR Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cryan, Mark; Martinek, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    The Soccer Coaching Club program used the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model in an after-school soccer program for sixth grade boys between 11 and 12 years old in a local middle school. Soccer, as the featured physical activity, provided the "hook" for regular attendance. Desired outcomes included improved…

  18. Breakfast Clubs: Starting the Day in a Positive Way

    PubMed Central

    Graham, Pamela Louise; Russo, Riccardo; Defeyter, Margaret Anne

    2015-01-01

    Breakfast clubs are widely promoted as having a beneficial impact on children’s behavior at the start of the school day, which can be conducive to their learning within the classroom. However, the few available studies that have considered the impact of breakfast club attendance on children’s behavior have yielded mixed results and no studies to date have directly observed children’s behavior within the breakfast club setting. Using a combination of real-time observation and filmed breakfast club footage, the aims of the current study were to: (1) devise a set of observational criteria appropriate for use in the breakfast club setting; (2) investigate the occurrence of both positive and negative behaviors. A sample of 30 children aged between 3 and 11 years were recruited from 3, opportunistically sampled primary school breakfast clubs in the North East of England, UK. The behaviors they displayed within the breakfast club setting on two separate days were observed and coded for subsequent analysis. Results of the investigation showed that children’s behavior could be classified into three positive and three negative behavioral categories. Using these categories to code children’s behavior as they engaged in breakfast club showed that children displayed more positive than negative behaviors within the breakfast club setting and this was the case regardless of the type of activity (i.e., quiet or boisterous) children were involved in. Findings are discussed in relation to breakfast club policy, implementation, and evaluation. PMID:26217653

  19. Visual Double Stars - St. Mary's High School Astronomy Club

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bensel, Holly; Tran, Thanh; Hicks, Sean; He, Yifan; Moczygemba, Mitchell; Shi, Yuqi; Sternenberg, Leah; Watson, Kaycia; Rooney, Kieran; Birmingham, Paige; You, Ruiyang

    2017-01-01

    The St. Mary’s School Astronomy Club is working towards measuring positions and angles of relatively unstudied visual binary stars. We are starting with confirming prior results we obtained at the Pine Mountain Observatory Summer Science Research Workshop in 2009 - 2012 on ARY 52 (Frey et al. 2009, JDSO), Iota Bootis (Bensel et al. 2009, JDSO), and Mizar (Bensel et al. 2009, JDSO). We are also comparing our results with those published in the Washington Double Star Catalog (Mason 2009). We are using Pine Mountain Observatory’s remote imaging 14-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope equipped with a CCD camera operated by Scott Fisher at the University of Oregon and local astronomer Sean Curry’s 12.5" PlaneWave CDK telescope. We are practicing using tools such as astrometry.net and DS9 software to measure positions and angles on known double stars with well established values before attempting new measurements. Our next project will be to study “neglected visual double stars,” lesser studied double stars with fainter magnitudes. (A neglected double star is one that has not been observed extensively or recently.)Double star analysis is relatively straight forward and can be performed with equipment available to most high schools.Educational outcomes include instrument setup, orientation, instruction, observations, analysis, presentation of data, and writing up findings for publication. Accurate recording of data is a useful and important life skill for all students to learn. Another important life skill is learning to work together to accomplish a specific goal. This project allows novice and experienced observers to work hand-in-hand to accomplish a specific goal, such as the publishing of a research paper in the Journal of Double Star Observations.

  20. More than Just a Meal: Breakfast Club Attendance and Children’s Social Relationships

    PubMed Central

    Defeyter, Margaret Anne; Graham, Pamela Louise; Russo, Riccardo

    2015-01-01

    The health benefits of school food have been widely promoted in recent years while the social opportunities that surround eating occasions at school have received little attention. Breakfast clubs (BCs), which take place at the start of the school day, offer a unique opportunity for children to consume a breakfast meal on their school premises in the company of their peers. Alternatively, after-school clubs (ASCs), which take place on school premises at the end of the school day, whilst also providing children with social opportunities tend to focus on sports engagement and skill development. The aim of the current paper is to investigate whether attendance at BCs and ASCs has an impact on children’s friendship quality and experiences of peer victimization. BC attendees, ASC attendees, and non-attendees completed the Friendship Qualities Scale and the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS) at two time points. Time-1 data were collected 2 months after the introduction of school clubs. Time-2 data were then collected on the same measures again 6 months later. Results of the analyses of Time-1 data showed no significant differences between groups on any of the measures at Time-1. However, at Time-2, BC attendees showed improved levels of friendship quality compared to the other two groups. Moreover, analysis of the MPVS data at Time-2 showed that children who attended BC or ASC experienced a decline in victimization across time. The current findings suggest that BC attendance facilitates the quality of children’s relationships with their best friend over time. Additionally, attendance at a breakfast or ASC was associated with a reduction in victimization over time. The results have implications for utilization of breakfast and ASCs to aid children’s social relationships in school over time. PMID:26284231

  1. Of the Helmholtz Club, South-Californian seedbed for visual and cognitive neuroscience, and its patron Francis Crick.

    PubMed

    Aicardi, Christine

    2014-03-01

    Taking up the view that semi-institutional gatherings such as clubs, societies, research schools, have been instrumental in creating sheltered spaces from which many a 20th-century project-driven interdisciplinary research programme could develop and become established within the institutions of science, the paper explores the history of one such gathering from its inception in the early 1980s into the 2000s, the Helmholtz Club, which brought together scientists from such various research fields as neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, psychophysics, computer science and engineering, who all had an interest in the study of the visual system and of higher cognitive functions relying on visual perception such as visual consciousness. It argues that British molecular biologist turned South Californian neuroscientist Francis Crick had an early and lasting influence over the Helmholtz Club of which he was a founding pillar, and that from its inception, the club served as a constitutive element in his long-term plans for a neuroscience of vision and of cognition. Further, it argues that in this role, the Helmholtz Club served many purposes, the primary of which was to be a social forum for interdisciplinary discussion, where 'discussion' was not mere talk but was imbued with an epistemic value and as such, carefully cultivated. Finally, it questions what counts as 'doing science' and in turn, definitions of success and failure-and provides some material evidence towards re-appraising the successfulness of Crick's contribution to the neurosciences. Copyright © 2013 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  2. Four Cases of a Sociocultural Approach to Mobile Learning in "La Clase Mágica," an Afterschool Technology Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prieto, Linda; Arreguín-Anderson, María G.; Yuen, Timothy T.; Ek, Lucila D.; Sánchez, Patricia; Machado-Casas, Margarita; García, Adriana

    2016-01-01

    This paper presents four projects in which mobile devices are used to support authentic learning in an afterschool technology club, "La Clase Mágica" (LCM@UTSA), designed to motivate underrepresented elementary school children in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The implementation of mobile devices into our LCM@UTSA is…

  3. Use of Audiobooks in a School Library and Positive Effects of Struggling Readers' Participation in a Library-Sponsored Audiobook Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittingham, Jeff; Huffman, Stephanie; Christensen, Rob; McAllister, Tracy

    2013-01-01

    A study was conducted to determine the impact of the use of audiobooks with struggling readers in a school library audiobook club. The participants met weekly in the school library with the school librarian and researchers to discuss audiobooks and make reading recommendations to their peers. Standardized test data as well as pre- and post-study…

  4. Beyond the Classroom: Involving Students with Disabilities in Extracurricular Activities at Levy Middle School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, Pam; And Others

    Six students in a special education classroom at Levy Middle School (Syracuse, New York) became involved in a variety of after-school activities with nondisabled students. The students participated in the school computer club, cross-country skiing, volleyball, stage crew, intramural basketball, the Spanish Club, and after-school programs at two…

  5. Join a Club! Or a Team--Both Can Make Good Citizens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levine, Peter

    2016-01-01

    Sports participation in high school has positive effects on students' later civic engagement. But that is true of nearly all forms of extracurricular participation in high school--whether a group is explicitly civic (student government or a service club) or far removed from civic life (an academic club or a music group). Indeed, the civic…

  6. The Space in Between: A Book Club with Inner-City Girls and Professional Teacher Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kooy, Mary; Colarusso, Dana M.

    2014-01-01

    The effects of teacher learning that transitions into pedagogical knowledge and practice remains an under-investigated area in the literature. This longitudinal study extended one teacher's professional learning into her inner-city secondary school, where she created a mother-daughter after-school book club that began when 12 Black girls,…

  7. Piecing the puzzle together: case studies of international research in health-promoting sports clubs.

    PubMed

    Kokko, Sami; Donaldson, Alex; Geidne, Susanna; Seghers, Jan; Scheerder, Jeroen; Meganck, Jeroen; Lane, Aoife; Kelly, Bridget; Casey, Meghan; Eime, Rochelle; Villberg, Jari; Kannas, Lasse

    2016-03-01

    This paper seeks to review the current international health-promoting sports club (HPSC) research, drawing together findings based on case studies from various countries to illustrate the status of HPSCs. In addition, future challenges for HPSC research and implementation are considered. The review includes six case studies from five countries. In summary, there are two major research themes in this area, namely 'research into HPSC activity' and 'research into HPSC networks'. The first theme investigates the extent to which sports clubs and/or national sports organisations invest in health promotion (HP) - both in policy and practice. The latter theme is driven by an intention to widen the scope of HPSCs to reach novel internal actors, like parents, siblings, etc., and/or external non-sporting bodies, like communities, schools, etc. The future challenges for HPSC research require a better understanding of the motives, barriers and capacities of sports clubs and coaches. Sports organisations, clubs and coaches generally support the intent of the HPSC concept, but even with the best evidence- or theory-based HP programmes/guidelines/standards, nothing will happen in practice if the nature and capacities of sports clubs are not better acknowledged. Therefore, a call for embracing implementation science is finally made to enhance implementation. © The Author(s) 2015.

  8. Increasing Opportunities for Older Youth in After-School Programs. A Report on the Experiences of Boys & Girls Clubs in Boston and New York City.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herrera, Carla; Arbreton, Amy J. A.

    Boys & Girls Clubs in New York City and Boston participated in a 3-year initiative to provide and enhance services to underserved teens. Researchers collected data via surveys of club members and staff; cost surveys of club administrators; interviews, focus groups, and observations at each club; and attendance information. Results indicated…

  9. Participation in Boys and Girls Clubs: Motivation and Stage Environment Fit

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fredricks, Jennifer A.; Hackett, Kristen; Bregman, Allyson

    2010-01-01

    This article presents the results of semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with 54 youth attending six elementary school-based and middle school-based Boys and Girls Clubs in two low-income communities. The first goal of this study was to examine why youth choose to participate in these clubs. The most commonly reported motives include fun…

  10. Health promotion activities of sports clubs and coaches, and health and health behaviours in youth participating in sports clubs: the Health Promoting Sports Club study

    PubMed Central

    Kokko, Sami; Selänne, Harri; Alanko, Lauri; Heinonen, Olli J; Korpelainen, Raija; Savonen, Kai; Vasankari, Tommi; Kannas, Lasse; Kujala, Urho M; Aira, Tuula; Villberg, Jari; Parkkari, Jari

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Sports clubs form a potential setting for health promotion, but the research is limited. The aim of the Health Promoting Sports Club (HPSC) study was to elucidate the current health promotion activities of youth sports clubs and coaches, and to investigate the health behaviours and health status of youth participating in sports clubs compared to non-participants. Methods and analysis The study design employs cross-sectional multilevel and multimethod research with aspirations to a prospective cohort study in the next phase. The setting-based variables at sports clubs and coaching levels, and health behaviour variables at the individual level, are investigated using surveys; and total levels of physical activity are assessed using objective accelerometer measurements. Health status variables will be measured by preparticipation screening. The health promotion activity of sports clubs (n=154) is evaluated by club officials (n=313) and coaches (n=281). Coaches and young athletes aged 14–16 (n=759) years evaluate the coaches’ health promotion activity. The survey of the adolescents’ health behaviours consist of two data sets—the first is on their health behaviours and the second is on musculoskeletal complaints and injuries. Data are collected via sports clubs (759 participants) and schools 1650 (665 participants and 983 non-participants). 591 (418 athletes and 173 non-athletes) youth, have already participated in preparticipation screening. Screening consists of detailed personal medical history, electrocardiography, flow-volume spirometry, basic laboratory analyses and health status screening, including posture, muscle balance, and static and dynamic postural control tests, conducted by sports and exercise medicine specialists. Ethics and dissemination The HPSC study is carried out conforming with the declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was received from the Ethics Committee of Health Care District of Central Finland. The HPSC study is

  11. Health promotion activities of sports clubs and coaches, and health and health behaviours in youth participating in sports clubs: the Health Promoting Sports Club study.

    PubMed

    Kokko, Sami; Selänne, Harri; Alanko, Lauri; Heinonen, Olli J; Korpelainen, Raija; Savonen, Kai; Vasankari, Tommi; Kannas, Lasse; Kujala, Urho M; Aira, Tuula; Villberg, Jari; Parkkari, Jari

    2015-01-01

    Sports clubs form a potential setting for health promotion, but the research is limited. The aim of the Health Promoting Sports Club (HPSC) study was to elucidate the current health promotion activities of youth sports clubs and coaches, and to investigate the health behaviours and health status of youth participating in sports clubs compared to non-participants. The study design employs cross-sectional multilevel and multimethod research with aspirations to a prospective cohort study in the next phase. The setting-based variables at sports clubs and coaching levels, and health behaviour variables at the individual level, are investigated using surveys; and total levels of physical activity are assessed using objective accelerometer measurements. Health status variables will be measured by preparticipation screening. The health promotion activity of sports clubs (n=154) is evaluated by club officials (n=313) and coaches (n=281). Coaches and young athletes aged 14-16 (n=759) years evaluate the coaches' health promotion activity. The survey of the adolescents' health behaviours consist of two data sets-the first is on their health behaviours and the second is on musculoskeletal complaints and injuries. Data are collected via sports clubs (759 participants) and schools 1650 (665 participants and 983 non-participants). 591 (418 athletes and 173 non-athletes) youth, have already participated in preparticipation screening. Screening consists of detailed personal medical history, electrocardiography, flow-volume spirometry, basic laboratory analyses and health status screening, including posture, muscle balance, and static and dynamic postural control tests, conducted by sports and exercise medicine specialists. The HPSC study is carried out conforming with the declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was received from the Ethics Committee of Health Care District of Central Finland. The HPSC study is close-to-practice, which generates foundations for development work

  12. Stalemate: Girls and a Mixed-Gender Chess Club.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Galitis, Ingrid

    2002-01-01

    Observed and conducted discussions with female members of an elementary-level, mixed-gender, Australian chess club to investigate why girls left and boys came to dominate the club. Results indicated that both home values and schooling transmitted and reinforced inequalities between the sexes, though in more subtle and less overt forms than in the…

  13. Car Club Teacher's Guide. An Educational Program on Safety Belt Use for Junior High School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

    This information packet describes the teacher's role in Car Club, a program designed to convince junior high school students to use motor vehicle safety belts. Students are approached as both passengers and future drivers to help them examine their roles and responsibilities relating to safety belts and occupant protection systems, including air…

  14. Advocating for Equitable Science-Learning Opportunities for Girls in an Urban City Youth Club and the Roadblocks Faced by Women Science Educators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Kathleen S.

    2002-01-01

    Reports on a study that examined the obstacles women science educators faced as they facilitated Explorers, an after-school science program for girls aged 6-12. The program provides girls with opportunities to legitimately participate in science activities. (Contains 39 references.) (Author/YDS)

  15. Transfer of Training After an Organizational Intervention in Swedish Sports Clubs: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective.

    PubMed

    Stenling, Andreas; Tafvelin, Susanne

    2016-10-01

    Leadership development programs are common in sports, but seldom evaluated; hence, we have limited knowledge about what the participants actually learn and the impact these programs have on sports clubs' daily operations. The purpose of the current study was to integrate a transfer of training model with self-determination theory to understand predictors of learning and training transfer, following a leadership development program among organizational leaders in Swedish sports clubs. Bayesian multilevel path analysis showed that autonomous motivation and an autonomy-supportive implementation of the program positively predicted near transfer (i.e., immediately after the training program) and that perceiving an autonomy-supportive climate in the sports club positively predicted far transfer (i.e., 1 year after the training program). This study extends previous research by integrating a transfer of training model with self-determination theory and identified important motivational factors that predict near and far training transfer.

  16. Of the Helmholtz Club, South-Californian seedbed for visual and cognitive neuroscience, and its patron Francis Crick

    PubMed Central

    Aicardi, Christine

    2014-01-01

    Taking up the view that semi-institutional gatherings such as clubs, societies, research schools, have been instrumental in creating sheltered spaces from which many a 20th-century project-driven interdisciplinary research programme could develop and become established within the institutions of science, the paper explores the history of one such gathering from its inception in the early 1980s into the 2000s, the Helmholtz Club, which brought together scientists from such various research fields as neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, psychophysics, computer science and engineering, who all had an interest in the study of the visual system and of higher cognitive functions relying on visual perception such as visual consciousness. It argues that British molecular biologist turned South Californian neuroscientist Francis Crick had an early and lasting influence over the Helmholtz Club of which he was a founding pillar, and that from its inception, the club served as a constitutive element in his long-term plans for a neuroscience of vision and of cognition. Further, it argues that in this role, the Helmholtz Club served many purposes, the primary of which was to be a social forum for interdisciplinary discussion, where ‘discussion’ was not mere talk but was imbued with an epistemic value and as such, carefully cultivated. Finally, it questions what counts as ‘doing science’ and in turn, definitions of success and failure—and provides some material evidence towards re-appraising the successfulness of Crick’s contribution to the neurosciences. PMID:24384229

  17. The effects and consequences of selected club drugs.

    PubMed

    Freese, Thomas E; Miotto, Karen; Reback, Cathy J

    2002-09-01

    Ecstasy (MDMA), gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), ketamine, and methamphetamine are 4 examples of club drugs that are increasing in popularity. Although the pharmacological classifications of these drugs vary, MDMA has structural similarities to both amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. Ketamine and GHB are anesthetic agents and methamphetamine is a long-acting psychostimulant. Medical visits for club drug-related toxicity have sharply increased across the country. This article provides a brief review of the literature on club drugs. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Inc.

  18. Reel Science: An Ethnographic Study of Girls' Science Identity Development In and Through Film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaffee, Rachel L.

    This dissertation study contributes to the research on filmmaking and identity development by exploring the ways that film production provided unique opportunities for a team of four girls to engage in science, to develop identities in science, and to see and understand science differently. Using social practice, identity, and feminist theory and New Literacies Studies as a theoretical lens and grounded theory and multimodality as analytic frameworks, I present findings that suggest that girls in this study authored identities and communicated and represented science in and through film in ways that drew on their social, cultural, and embodied resources and the material resources of the after-school science club. Findings from this study highlight the affordances of filmmaking as a venue for engaging in the disciplinary practices of science and for accessing and authoring identities in science.

  19. After-school enrichment and the activity theory: How can a management service organization assist schools with reducing the achievement gap among minority and non-minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) during the after-school hours?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flowers, Reagan D.

    The primary purpose of this study was to investigate how a management service organization can assist schools with reducing the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) during the after-school hours. Developing a strategic plan through creating a program that provides support services for the implementation of hands-on activities in STEM for children during the after-school hours was central to this purpose. This Project Demonstrating Excellence (PDE), a social action project, also presents historical and current after-school program developments in the nation. The study is quantitative and qualitative in nature. Surveys were utilized to quantitatively capture the opinions of participants in the social action project on three specific education related issues: (1) disparity in academic motivation of students to participate in after-school STEM enrichment programs; (2) whether teachers and school administrators saw a need for STEM after-school enrichment; and (3) developing STEM after-school programs that were centered on problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills to develop students' interest in STEM careers. The sample consisted of 50 participants comprised of students, teachers, and administrators. The focus groups and interviews provided the qualitative data for the study. The qualitative sample consisted of 14 participants comprised of students, parents and teachers, administrators, an education consultant, and a corporate sponsor. The empirical data obtained from the study survey, focus groups, and interviews provided a comprehensive profile on the current views and future expectations of STEM after-school enrichment, student and school needs, and community partnerships with STEM companies. Results of the study and review of the implementation of the social action project, C-STEM (communication, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Teacher and Student Support

  20. Adolescent Multilinguals' Engagement with Religion in a Book Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Choi, Jayoung; Tinker Sachs, Gertrude

    2017-01-01

    The study examines four adolescent multilinguals' engagement with religion, as well as outcomes of that engagement, in an out-of-school book club. The qualitative analysis of participants' talk in book club meetings, writing responses, and individual interviews revealed that multilinguals tap into their religious knowledge and identities in making…

  1. An opportunity for success: Understanding motivation and learning from urban youth participation in an after school science program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Catlin, Janell Nicole

    This dissertation is an ethnographic study that documents through student voice the untold stories of urban student motivation to learn and engage in science through the contexts of an after school science program and the students' in-school science classrooms. The purpose of this study is to add to the literature in science education on motivation of urban youth to learn and engage in science through thick and rich descriptions of student voice. This study addresses issues in educational inequity by researching students who are historically marginalized. The focus of the study is four middle school students. The methodology employed was critical ethnography and case study. The data sources included participant observations and field notes, interviews, student artifacts, Snack and Chat, autophotography, and the researcher's reflective journal. The findings of this study state that motivating factors for urban middle school students' learning and engaging in science include a flexible and engaging curriculum, that students are empowered and motivated to learn when teachers are respectful, that urban middle school science students hold positive images about scientists, themselves and knowing science, and that urban teachers of the dominant culture believe that their urban middle school science students are motivated. In using Sociotransformative Constructivism (STC) and Critical Race Theory (CRT) the researcher informs the issues of inequity and racism that emerge from historical perspectives and students' stories about their experiences inside and outside of school. The implications state that allowing for a flexible curriculum that motivates students to make choices about what and how they want to learn and engage in science are necessary science teaching goals for urban middle school students, it is necessary that teachers are conscious of their interactions with their students, diversifying the science field through educating and empowering all students through

  2. Women in Science: Peer Facilitators Take Up the Challenge.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fenske, Wally

    1983-01-01

    Describes a program to improve the low participation of Canadian women in science careers. The peer counseling program encouraged high school senior girls to serve as role models for younger girls and participate in a Women in Science Club which encouraged careers in science and mathematics. (JAC)

  3. Students' Attitudes toward Science as Predictors of Gains on Student Content Knowledge: Benefits of an After-School Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newell, Alana D.; Zientek, Linda R.; Tharp, Barbara Z.; Vogt, Gregory L.; Moreno, Nancy P.

    2015-01-01

    High-quality after-school programs devoted to science have the potential to enhance students' science knowledge and attitudes, which may impact their decisions about pursuing science-related careers. Because of the unique nature of these informal learning environments, an understanding of the relationships among aspects of students' content…

  4. Mapping Out-of-School-Time Youth Science Programs: Organizational Patterns and Possibilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laursen, S. L.; Archie, T.; Thiry, H.

    2012-12-01

    Out-of-school-time (OST) experiences promise to enrich young (K-12) people's experience of science, technology and engineering. Belief is widespread that OST programs are ideal locations to learn science, and that youth participation may enhance the science workforce and increase access to science for girls and minorities. Yet we know little about the scope or nature of science-focused OST youth programming. Variety poses a challenge for researchers, with OST sites in schools, museums, zoos, science and nature centers, aquariums, planetariums, and community centers; and formats including after-school clubs, camps, workshops, festivals, research apprenticeships, and more. Moreover, there is no single national network through which researchers might reach and recruit nationally representative samples of programs. Thus, to date there has been no systematic study of the broader national landscape of OST STEM programming. Our national study, Mapping Out-of-School-Time Science (MOST-Science), examines a national sample of OST programs focused on science, engineering, and/or technology. Here we describe first findings about the characteristics of these programs and their home organizations, including aspects of program design, structure, funding, staffing, and youth audience. Using an electronic survey, we collected data from 417 programs and classified their host institutions into eight organizational types: aquariums and zoos, museums, non-profits, national youth organizations, K-12 school districts, colleges and universities, government labs, and private sector organizations. We then examine key attributes of the youth programs hosted by these institution and discuss differences based on organizational types, including scientific organizations that are especially well equipped to offer research and field experiences. Programs engaging youth in research and field experiences are offered across all organizational types. Yet they vary notably in the size and demographics

  5. Understanding high school students' science internship: At the intersection of secondary school science and university science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, Pei-Ling

    In this dissertation I explore the nature of an internship for high school students in a university science laboratory and the issues that arise from it. The investigation of science internships is relatively new to science education; therefore, this exploration is urgently needed. Twenty-one participants were involved in the internship experience, including 13 students, one teacher, two research scientists, and five technicians. Data sources include observations, field notes, and videotapes. Drawing on four coherent and complementary research tools---cultural-historical activity theory, discourse analysis, conversation analysis, and phenomenography, I articulate a variety of phenomena from multiple perspectives. The phenomena identified in the dissertation include (a) the discursive resources deployed by a teacher for interesting and inviting students to participate in science; (b) the discursive resources high school students used for articulating their interests in science-related careers; (c) the natural pedagogical conversations for accomplishing the work of teaching and learning during the internship; (d) the theoretical concepts mobilized for describing the unfolding of science expertise in the internship; (e) participants' ways of experiencing the science internship; and (f) students' understandings of scientific practice after participating in the internship. The study identifies many useful resources for understanding the nature of the science internship and provides a foundation for future research. The findings reported here will also serve others as a springboard for establishing partnerships between high schools and science communities and improving teaching and learning in science education.

  6. High School Physics Students' Personal Epistemologies and School Science Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alpaslan, Muhammet Mustafa; Yalvac, Bugrahan; Loving, Cathleen

    2017-01-01

    This case study explores students' physics-related personal epistemologies in school science practices. The school science practices of nine eleventh grade students in a physics class were audio-taped over 6 weeks. The students were also interviewed to find out their ideas on the nature of scientific knowledge after each activity. Analysis of…

  7. Inferring about individual drug and schizotypy effects on cognitive functioning in polydrug using mephedrone users before and after clubbing.

    PubMed

    Herzig, Daniela A; Brooks, Rowan; Mohr, Christine

    2013-03-01

    Mephedrone has been recently made illegal in Europe, but little empirical evidence is available on its impact on human cognitive functions. We investigated acute and chronic effects of mephedrone consumption on drug-sensitive cognitive measures, while also accounting for the influence of associated additional drug use and personality features. Twenty-six volunteers from the general population performed tasks measuring verbal learning, verbal fluency and cognitive flexibility before and after a potential drug-taking situation (pre-clubbing and post-clubbing at dance clubs, respectively). Participants also provided information on chronic and recent drug use, schizotypal (Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), sleep pattern and premorbid IQ. We found that (i) mephedrone users performed worse than non-users pre-clubbing and deteriorated from the pre-clubbing to the post-clubbing assessment; (ii) pre-clubbing cannabis and amphetamine (not mephedrone) use predicted relative cognitive attenuations; (iii) post-clubbing, depression scores predicted relative cognitive attenuations; and (iv) schizotypy was largely unrelated to cognitive functioning, apart from a negative relationship between cognitive disorganisation and verbal fluency. Results suggest that polydrug use and depressive symptoms in the general population negatively affect cognition. For schizotypy, only elevated cognitive disorganisation showed potential links to a pathological cognitive profile previously reported along the psychosis dimension. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. [Relationship between members' egoistic self-assertion and captains' leadership in athletic clubs].

    PubMed

    Yoshimura, Hitoshi

    2005-02-01

    This study examined the relationships between club members' egoistic self-assertion and their captains' leadership with respect to the adjustment to activities in extracurricular athletic clubs. Participants were 638 junior high school students who belong to the athletic clubs. The research was conducted by means of a questionnaire and the following results were obtained. When the captains took a laissez-faire command, club members who did not assert themselves egoistically were not satisfied with their captains, and did not participate in the club activities very diligently. On the other hand, when the captains took an authoritative command, the members who asserted themselves egoistically were not satisfied with club activities. These results suggest that the relationships between egoistic self-assertion by club members and leadership by captains have a great influence on the adjustment to club activities.

  9. Preparing Students for Middle School Through After-School STEM Activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreno, Nancy P.; Tharp, Barbara Z.; Vogt, Gregory; Newell, Alana D.; Burnett, Christopher A.

    2016-12-01

    The middle school years are a crucial time for cultivating students' interest in and preparedness for future STEM careers. However, not all middle school children are provided opportunities to engage, learn and achieve in STEM subject areas. Engineering, in particular, is neglected in these grades because it usually is not part of science or mathematics curricula. This study investigates the effectiveness of an engineering-integrated STEM curriculum designed for use in an after-school environment. The inquiry-based activities comprising the unit, Think Like an Astronaut, were intended to introduce students to STEM careers—specifically engineering and aerospace engineering—and enhance their skills and knowledge applicable related to typical middle school science objectives. Results of a field test with a diverse population of 5th grade students in nine schools revealed that Think Like an Astronaut lessons are appropriate for an after-school environment, and may potentially help increase students' STEM-related content knowledge and skills.

  10. Opportunities to Learn in School and at Home: How can they predict students' understanding of basic science concepts and principles?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Su; Liu, Xiufeng; Zhao, Yandong

    2012-09-01

    As the breadth and depth of economic reforms increase in China, growing attention is being paid to equalities in opportunities to learn science by students of various backgrounds. In early 2009, the Chinese Ministry of Education and Ministry of Science and Technology jointly sponsored a national survey of urban eighth-grade students' science literacy along with their family and school backgrounds. The present study focused on students' understanding of basic science concepts and principles (BSCP), a subset of science literacy. The sample analyzed included 3,031 students from 109 randomly selected classes/schools. Correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance, and two-level linear regression were conducted. The results showed that having a refrigerator, internet, more books, parents purchasing books and magazines related to school work, higher father's education level, and parents' higher expectation of the education level of their child significantly predicted higher BSCP scores; having siblings at home, owning an apartment, and frequently contacting teachers about the child significantly predicted lower BSCP scores. At the school level, the results showed that being in the first-tier or key schools, having school libraries, science popularization galleries, computer labs, adequate equipment for teaching, special budget for teacher training, special budget for science equipment, and mutual trust between teachers and students significantly predicated higher BSCP scores; and having science and technology rooms, offering science and technology interest clubs, special budget for science curriculum development, and special budget for science social practice activities significantly predicted lower BSCP scores. The implications of the above findings are discussed.

  11. Improving Health with Science: Exploring Community-Driven Science Education in Kenya

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leak, Anne Emerson

    This study examines the role of place-based science education in fostering student-driven health interventions. While literature shows the need to connect science with students' place and community, there is limited understanding of strategies for doing so. Making such connections is important for underrepresented students who tend to perceive learning science in school as disconnected to their experiences out of school (Aikenhead, Calabrese-Barton, & Chinn, 2006). To better understand how students can learn to connect place and community with science and engineering practices in a village in Kenya, I worked with community leaders, teachers, and students to develop and study an education program (a school-based health club) with the goal of improving knowledge of health and sanitation in a Kenyan village. While students selected the health topics and problems they hoped to address through participating in the club, the topics were taught with a focus on providing opportunities for students to learn the practices of science and health applications of these practices. Students learned chemistry, physics, environmental science, and engineering to help them address the health problems they had identified in their community. Surveys, student artifacts, ethnographic field notes, and interview data from six months of field research were used to examine the following questions: (1) In what ways were learning opportunities planned for using science and engineering practices to improve community health? (2) In what ways did students apply science and engineering practices and knowledge learned from the health club in their school, homes, and community? and (3) What factors seemed to influence whether students applied or intended to apply what they learned in the health club? Drawing on place-based science education theory and community-engagement models of health, process and structural coding (Saldana, 2013) were used to determine patterns in students' applications of their

  12. "WOW" (War on Weight) Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harbour, Jane

    1976-01-01

    The article describes the content and successful use of the "WOW" Club Kit which provides general guidelines and 12 specific meeting outlines for public health nurses, home economics teachers and others with basic nutrition background to use in conducting nutrition and weight control programs in secondary schools. (MS)

  13. Exploring the positional identities of high school science teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blackwell, Edith Lavonne

    The identity of the teacher has been determined to influence classroom practices. Positional identity is defined as one's perception of self relative to others. This qualitative research study investigates the positional identity of five high school science teachers of different ethnicities and how their positional identities influence their classroom practices. Positional identity is thought to be determined by one's perception of how one's race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion and socioeconomic status position one relative to others. The methods of data collection included classroom observations, structured and semi-structured interviews, book club meetings, teacher journals, and researcher journals, demographic and online questionnaires. The teachers that overcame stereotypes based on race/ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status felt empowered in their positional identities and were able to empower their students. The data also identified those teachers that struggle the most with finding their power within their positional identities were the immigrants that were not able to merge their personal identities within the pre-determined social positions they encountered in this society. The empowerment or powerlessness of the science teachers' positional identities impacted instruction and practices within the science classroom.

  14. Science school and culture school: improving the efficiency of high school science teaching in a system of mass science education.

    PubMed

    Charlton, Bruce G

    2006-01-01

    Educational expansion in western countries has been achieved mainly by adding years to full-time education; however, this process has probably reduced efficiency. Sooner or later, efficiency must improve, with a greater educational attainment per year. Future societies will probably wish more people to study science throughout high school (aged c. 11-19 years) and the first college degree. 'Science' may be defined as any abstract, systematic and research-based discipline: including mathematics, statistics and the natural sciences, economics, music theory, linguistics, and the conceptual or quantitative social sciences. Since formal teaching is usually necessary to learn science, science education should be regarded as the core function of high schools. One standard way to improve efficiency is the 'division of labour', with increased specialization of function. Modern schools are already specialized: teachers are specialized according to age-group taught, subject matter expertise, and administrative responsibilities. School students are stratified by age and academic aptitude. I propose a further institutional division of school function between science education, and cultural education (including education in arts, sports, ethics, social interaction and good citizenship). Existing schools might split into 'science school' and 'culture school', reflected in distinct buildings and zones, separate administrative structures, and the recruitment of differently-specialized teaching personnel. Science school would be distinguished by its focus on education in disciplines which promote abstract systematic cognition. All students would spend some part of each day (how much would depend on their aptitude and motivation) in the 'science school'; experiencing a traditional-style, didactic, disciplined and rigorous academic education. The remainder of the students' time at school would be spent in the cultural division, which would focus on broader aspects, and aim to generate

  15. Physical Activity and Energy Expenditure during an After-School Running Club: Laps versus Game Play

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kahan, David; McKenzie, Thomas L.

    2018-01-01

    Background: After-school programs (ASPs) have the potential to contribute to student physical activity (PA), but there is limited empirical evidence to guide program development and implementation. Methods: We used pedometry to assess the overall effectiveness of an elementary school ASP running program relative to national and state PA…

  16. Enacting Informal Science Learning: Exploring the Battle for Informal Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clapham, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    Informal Science Learning (ISL) is a policy narrative of interest in the United Kingdom and abroad. This paper explores how a group of English secondary school science teachers, enacted ISL science clubs through employing the Periodic Table of Videos. It examines how these teachers "battled" to enact ISL policy in performative conditions…

  17. Using the TOSRA to Assess High School Students' Attitudes toward Science after Competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, Anita G.

    2010-01-01

    This study examined high school students' attitudes toward science after participating in a robotics competition. Specifically, this study used the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) to measure students' attitudes toward science in seven categories: Social Implications of Science, Normality of Scientists, Attitude toward Scientific Inquiry,…

  18. Evaluating SafeClub: can risk management training improve the safety activities of community soccer clubs?

    PubMed

    Abbott, K; Klarenaar, P; Donaldson, A; Sherker, S

    2008-06-01

    To evaluate a sports safety-focused risk-management training programme. Controlled before and after test. Four community soccer associations in Sydney, Australia. 76 clubs (32 intervention, 44 control) at baseline, and 67 clubs (27 intervention, 40 control) at post-season and 12-month follow-ups. SafeClub, a sports safety-focused risk-management training programme (3x2 hour sessions) based on adult-learning principles and injury-prevention concepts and models. Changes in mean policy, infrastructure and overall safety scores as measured using a modified version of the Sports Safety Audit Tool. There was no significant difference in the mean policy, infrastructure and overall safety scores of intervention and control clubs at baseline. Intervention clubs achieved higher post-season mean policy (11.9 intervention vs 7.5 controls), infrastructure (15.2 vs 10.3) and overall safety (27.0 vs 17.8) scores than did controls. These differences were greater at the 12-month follow-up: policy (16.4 vs 7.6); infrastructure (24.7 vs 10.7); and overall safety (41.1 vs 18.3). General linear modelling indicated that intervention clubs achieved statistically significantly higher policy (p<0.001), infrastructure (p<0.001) and overall safety (p<0.001) scores compared with control clubs at the post-season and 12-month follow-ups. There was also a significant linear interaction of time and group for all three scores: policy (p<0.001), infrastructure (p<0.001) and overall safety (p<0.001). SafeClub effectively assisted community soccer clubs to improve their sports safety activities, particularly the foundations and processes for good risk-management practice, in a sustainable way.

  19. After Installation: Ubiquitous Computing and High School Science in Three Experienced, High-Technology Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drayton, Brian; Falk, Joni K.; Stroud, Rena; Hobbs, Kathryn; Hammerman, James

    2010-01-01

    There are few studies of the impact of ubiquitous computing on high school science, and the majority of studies of ubiquitous computing report only on the early stages of implementation. The present study presents data on 3 high schools with carefully elaborated ubiquitous computing systems that have gone through at least one "obsolescence cycle"…

  20. Learning Environments at the Margin: Case Studies of Disenfranchised Youth Doing Science in an Aquarium and an After-School Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rahm, Jrene; Ash, Doris

    2008-01-01

    In this article, we explore how two informal educational contexts--an aquarium and an after-school science program--enabled disenfranchised learners to adopt an identity as insiders to the world of science. We tell the stories of four youth, relating what doing science meant to them and how they positioned themselves in relation to science. We…

  1. Taking Risks with a Growth Mindset: Long-Term Influence of an Elementary Pre-Service after School Science Practicum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cartwright, T. J.; Hallar, B.

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we present the long-term influence of an after school science practicum associated with an elementary science methods course. The practicum or field experience could be considered a community-based service learning programme as it is situated both within and for the community. Study participants included eight third- and fifth-grade…

  2. It's Great to Be Doing Maths! Engaging Primary Students in a Lunchtime Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prescott, Anne; Pressick-Kilborn, Kimberley

    2015-01-01

    In this article it can be seen how primary school students, pre-service and in-service teachers can all benefit from the experience of participating in a lunchtime maths club. A range of activities suitable for an extracurricular club is included.

  3. Integrating Current Meteorological Research Through Club Fundraising

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gill, S. S.; Kauffman, C. M.

    2003-12-01

    Earth science programs whose focus is primarily an undergraduate education do not often have the funding to take students to very many conferences which could expose the student to new research as well as possible graduate programs and employment opportunities. Conferences also give the more enthusiastic and hardworking students a venue in which to present their research to the meteorological community. In addition, the California University services largely lower income counties, which make student attendance at conferences even more difficult even though the student in SW PA may be individually motivated. This issue is compounded by the fact that the Meteorology Concentration within the Earth Science department at Cal U is composed of only two full-time Professors, which limits the amount of research students can be exposed to within a classroom setting. New research ideas presented at conferences are thus an important mechanism for broadening what could be an isolated program. One way in which the meteorology program has circumvented the funding problem to a certain extent is through an active student club. With nearly 60 majors (3/4 of which are active in club activities, the meteorology club is able to execute a variety of fundraising activities. Money that is raised can then request from student services matching funds. Further money is given to clubs, which are very active not only in fundraising, but using that money for academic related activities. For the last 3 years the club budget has been in the neighborhood of \\$4500. The money has then been used to partially finance student registration and accommodation costs making conference attendance much more affordable. Normally 8-16 students attend conferences that they would otherwise not be able to attend without great expense. There are times when more than 16 students wish to attend, but travel arrangements prohibit more than 16. Moreover club money is also use to supplement student costs on a summer

  4. High School Physics Students' Personal Epistemologies and School Science Practice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alpaslan, Muhammet Mustafa; Yalvac, Bugrahan; Loving, Cathleen

    2017-11-01

    This case study explores students' physics-related personal epistemologies in school science practices. The school science practices of nine eleventh grade students in a physics class were audio-taped over 6 weeks. The students were also interviewed to find out their ideas on the nature of scientific knowledge after each activity. Analysis of transcripts yielded several epistemological resources that students activated in their school science practice. The findings show that there is inconsistency between students' definitions of scientific theories and their epistemological judgments. Analysis revealed that students used several epistemological resources to decide on the accuracy of their data including accuracy via following the right procedure and accuracy via what the others find. Traditional, formulation-based, physics instruction might have led students to activate naive epistemological resources that prevent them to participate in the practice of science in ways that are more meaningful. Implications for future studies are presented.

  5. ASE and Primary School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harlen, Wynne

    2013-01-01

    This article focuses on the role of the Association for Science Education (ASE) in supporting and developing policy and practice in primary school science. It first sets the events after the formation of ASE in 1963 in the context of what went before. It then takes a mainly chronological view of some, but by no means all, of ASE's activities…

  6. Are Students More Engaged When Schools Offer Extracurricular Activities? PISA in Focus. No. 18

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    OECD Publishing (NJ1), 2012

    2012-01-01

    Are students more engaged and do they perform better in science if their school encourages them to work on science projects, participate in science fairs, belong to a science-related club or go on science-related field trips--in addition to teaching them the mandatory science curriculum? To find out, PISA (Programme for International Student…

  7. After Seattle: Social Science Research and Narrowly Tailored School Desegregation Plans

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armor, David J.; O'Neill, Stephanie Duck

    2010-01-01

    Background/Context: In most judicial and social science debates about school desegregation, it is usually assumed that educational and social benefits, if significant, help establish a compelling purpose for school desegregation plans. Less thought has been given to whether the degree of benefits should factor into whether a plan is narrowly…

  8. Gangs, clubs, and alcohol: The effect of organizational membership on adolescent drinking behavior.

    PubMed

    Suh, Chan S; Brashears, Matthew E; Genkin, Michael

    2016-07-01

    How does adolescent organizational membership in general, and simultaneous membership in distinct types of organizations in particular, impact drinking behavior? While past studies have focused either on the learning effect of involvement with gangs or on the constraining influence of conventional organizations on adolescent problem behavior, we explore the possibility that conventional school clubs can serve as socializing opportunities for existing gang members to engage in drinking behavior with non-gang club members. Using the Add Health data, we show that gang members drink more often, and engage in more binge drinking, than non-members. More importantly, individuals who are members of both gangs and school clubs drink alcohol at greater levels than those who are solely involved in gangs. In addition, non-gang adolescents who are co-members with gang members in the same school club are more likely to drink alcohol than non-members. This result has important implications for understanding the role of organizations in adolescent behavior and suggests that the study of delinquent behaviors would benefit from devoting more attention to individuals who bridge distinct types of organizations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Promoting undergraduate involvement through the University of Arizona Astronomy Club

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGraw, Allison M.; Austin, Carmen; Noyes, Matthew; Calahan, Jenny; Lautenbach, Jennifer; Henrici, Andrew; Ryleigh Fitzpatrick, M.; Shirley, Yancy L.

    2016-01-01

    The University of Arizona Astronomy Club is devoted to undergraduate success in astronomy, physics, planetary sciences and many other related fields. The club promotes many undergraduate opportunities; research projects, participating in telescope observational runs, sponsoring conference attendance as well as several public outreach opportunities. Research projects involving exoplanet transit observations and radio observations of cold molecular clouds allow undergraduates to experience data collection, telescope operations, data reduction and research presentation. The club hosts many star parties and various other public outreach events for the Tucson, Arizona location. The club often constructs their own outreach materials and structures. The club is currently working on creating a portable planetarium to teach about the night sky on the go even on the cloudiest of nights. The club is also working on creating a binocular telescope with two 10" mirrors as a recreation of the local Large Binocular Telescope for outreach purposes as well. This is a club that strives for undergraduate activity and involvement in a range of academic and extracurricular activates, and is welcoming to all majors of all levels in hopes to spark astronomical interest.

  10. Fueling Interest in Science: An After-School Program Model that Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koenig, Kathleen; Hanson, Margaret

    2008-01-01

    As our society becomes more technologically advanced and jobs require additional related skills, it is important that all girls, not just those interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (commonly referred to as the STEM disciplines), take advanced levels of science and math in high school. Evidence suggests that intervention…

  11. From which level of competition in clubs are adolescents at greater risk of injury compared with outside-of-clubs athletes? A school-based study.

    PubMed

    Luiggi, Maxime; Rindler, Victoria; Griffet, Jean

    2018-02-01

    Sport practice is a key factor in a person's physical and mental health but, for adolescent athletes, some injuries lead to health problems in the long term. The literature provides multiple factors for understanding injury but does not give information about injury risk related to each level of play in a large sample of multisport athletes. This study investigates this relationship in 14- to 19-year-old adolescents. The survey on adolescents and health was conducted in classrooms of France, from February to March 2015. Only sports players were included in the analyses (n = 986). The levels of play were divided into five categories: outside of a club/no competition, club player/no competition, club player/local level, club player/state level and club player/national and higher level. A three-step binary logistic regression analysis with age, sex, type of sport, weekly hours of exposure, and level of play was used. During the past year, 48.1% of the adolescents were injured. Age and sex were not risk factors. The injury risk associated with the increases in level of play is higher than those related to the hours of exposure per week or the type of sport. In clubs, adolescents who do not compete or play at a local level showed no evidence of greater injury risk whereas state-level and national- and higher-level athletes were at greater risk than outside-of-club players (OR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.13-3.94 and OR = 3.89, 95%CI = 2.07-7.31, respectively). Adolescents who play sports in clubs are clearly more exposed to injury than those who play outside of a club, mainly from state level. Age and sex are not related to injury. Future epidemiological studies should control adolescents' level of play. Special attention should be accorded to the injury risk of athletes playing at these levels of competition.

  12. Dreaming of science: Undocumented Latin[a]s' testimonios across the borderlands of high school science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aguilar-Valdez, Jean Rockford

    This qualitative study uncovers the voices of five Latin students who are high-"achieving" and undocumented and have strong aspirations in science, in a Southern, Title I high school. Through critical race methodology and these students' testimonios/counter-stories, these students' struggles and successes reveal their crossing of cultural and political borderlands and negotiating structures of schooling and science. The students dream of someday pursuing a trajectory in the field of science despite racial, ethnic, and political barriers due to their undocumented status. I use three key theoretical approaches--Borderlands/Anzalduan theory (Anzaldua, 2007), Loving Playfulness/World Traveling (Lugones, 2003), and Latino Critical Race Theory (in which many Latin/Chican studies contribute)--to put a human face on the complex political and educational situations which the students in this study traverse. Data were collected during a full school year with follow-up contact into the present, with over 133 hours immersed in the field, involving 22 individual student interviews, six student focus group interviews, 14 teacher interviews, field notes from over 79 contact hours with participants in formal and informal science education settings, and document review. This study reveals high-"achieving" students flourishing in formal school science and informal science settings, starting a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) club and the first community garden in a Title I high school in their state, to benefit their immigrant-rich community. Each student professes agentic desire to follow a science trajectory but testifies to their struggle with racism, nativism, and state policies of restricted college access. Students persevere in spite of the additional obstacles they face, to "prove" their "worth" and rise above deficit narratives in the public discourse regarding students of their ethnicity and undocumented status, and hold onto hope for legislation such as

  13. Clubs Reach Urban Middle Level Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hale, Rosalind P.

    1993-01-01

    When busing limits number of afternoon activities and students do not seem interested anyway, principals must look for opportunities during day to involve students. One inner-city middle-school principal helped teachers initiate program of morning clubs and assemblies to increase student self-esteem and encourage student and parent involvement…

  14. Integrating the history of science into a middle school science curriculum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huybrechts, Jeanne Marie

    This study examined the effect of incorporating the history of science into a middle school physical science curriculum on student attitudes toward science and the work of scientists. While there is wide support for including some science history in middle school science lessons within both the science and science-education communities, there is little curriculum designed to meet that objective. A series of five lessons was written specifically for the study. Each lesson included a brief biography of a scientist whose work was of historical significance, and a set of directions for duplicating one or more of the experiments done by that scientist. A thirty-question, Likert scale survey of the attitudes of middle school students toward science and the work of scientists was also written for this study. The survey was administered to two groups of students in a single middle school: One group---the experimental group---subsequently used the science history curriculum; the second (control) group did not. The same attitude survey was readministered to both groups of students after study of the science-history curriculum was completed. The results of the study indicate that there was no statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of either the experimental or control group students. Further analysis was done to determine whether there were differences between the pretest and posttest scores of boys and girls, or between "regular" or "honors" students. In both cases no statistically significant difference was found.

  15. Can medical schools teach high school students to be scientists?

    PubMed

    Rosenbaum, James T; Martin, Tammy M; Farris, Kendra H; Rosenbaum, Richard B; Neuwelt, Edward A

    2007-07-01

    The preeminence of science in the United States is endangered for multiple reasons, including mediocre achievement in science education by secondary school students. A group of scientists at Oregon Health and Science University has established a class to teach the process of scientific inquiry to local high school students. Prominent aspects of the class include pairing of the student with a mentor; use of a journal club format; preparation of a referenced, hypothesis driven research proposal; and a "hands-on" laboratory experience. A survey of our graduates found that 73% were planning careers in health or science. In comparison to conventional science classes, including chemistry, biology, and algebra, our students were 7 times more likely to rank the scientific inquiry class as influencing career or life choices. Medical schools should make research opportunities widely available to teenagers because this experience dramatically affects one's attitude toward science and the likelihood that a student will pursue a career in science or medicine. A federal initiative could facilitate student opportunities to pursue research.

  16. After-School Spaces: Looking for Learning in All the Right Places

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schnittka, Christine G.; Evans, Michael A.; Won, Samantha G. L.; Drape, Tiffany A.

    2016-01-01

    After-school settings provide youth with homework support, social outlets and fun activities, and help build self-confidence. They are safe places for forming relationships with caring adults. More after-school settings are starting to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) topics. What science skills and concepts might…

  17. Multiple Influences: Latinas, Middle School Science, and School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parker, Carolyn

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes the multiple school and school science experiences of eight Latina students of Central American descent in a tracked, urbanized, middle school setting. Framed by a sociocultural perspective, I describe how eight seventh and eighth grade Latino girls interacted with school science. Implications for the concept "science for…

  18. TED-Ed lessons & TED-Ed clubs: Educational activities to amplify students' voices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Villias, Georgios

    2017-04-01

    TED-Ed lessons and TED-Ed clubs are two powerful educational tools that can be used in today's school classrooms in order to create an educational environment that is engaging for the students and favors their active participation, created and fostered by TED-Ed. TED-Ed is TED's educational initiative, committed to create lessons worth sharing and amplify the voices and ideas of teachers and students around the world. TED-Ed animated lessons are fully organized lessons structured around an animated video that introduces new topics to learners in an exciting, thought-provoking way. These lessons have been created as a result of the cooperation between expert educators and animators and have been uploaded at the TED-Ed platform (http://ed.ted.com). On the other hand, TED-Ed Clubs are also an interesting way to offer students the chance, the voice and the opportunity to express their thoughts, engage actively on these matters and connect with each other, both at a local, as well as at an international level (http://ed.ted.com/clubs). By developing new TED-Ed lessons or by customizing appropriately existing animated TED-Ed lessons (translating, modifying the questions asked, introducing new discussion topics), I have created and implemented in my student-centered, didactic approach, a series of TED-ED animated lessons directly connected with the Greek national science syllabus that were used to spark students curiosity and initiate a further analytical discussion or introduce other relevant educational activities (http://gvillias.wixsite.com/education). Furthermore, at my school, we established Varvakeio TED-Ed Club, an environment that supports and empowers our students to research, develop and disseminate their own personal ideas that worth spreading. During the year, our members were inspired by watching TED talks presented by experts on their field on various different areas, including social, economical, environmental and technological-scientific issues. Our aim

  19. "Adventures in Science": Casting Scientifically Talented Youth as National Resources on American Radio, 1942-1958

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terzian, Sevan G.

    2008-01-01

    From 1942 to 1958, a national weekly programme on CBS radio and presented by Science Service, Inc. devoted 37 of its broadcasts to profiling American high school students' achievements in science talent searches, clubs and fairs. These "Adventures in Science" radio programmes cast scientifically talented youth as potential contributors to national…

  20. The Impact of Length of Engagement in After-School STEM Programs on Middle School Girls

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cupp, Garth Meichel

    An underrepresentation of females exists in the STEM fields. In order to tackle this issue, work begins early in the education of young women to ensure they are interested and have the confidence to gain a career in the STEM fields. It is important to engage girls in STEM opportunities in and out of school to ignite their interest and build their confidence. Brigid Barron's learning ecology perspective shows that girls pursuing STEM outside of the classroom is critical to their achievement in the STEM pipeline. This study investigated the impact after-school STEM learning opportunities have on middle school girls by investigating (a) how the length of engagement in after-school programs can affect the confidence of female students in their science and math abilities; (b) how length of engagement in after-school programs can affect the interest of female students in attaining a career in STEM; (c) how length of engagement in after-school programs can affect interest in science and math classes; and (d) how length of engagement can affect how female students' view gender parity in the STEM workforce. The major findings revealed no statistical significance when comparing confidence in math or science abilities or the perception that gender plays a role in attaining a career in STEM. The findings revealed statistical significance in the areas when comparing length of engagement in the girls' interest in their math class and attaining a career in three of the four STEM fields: science, technology, and engineering. The findings showed that multiple terms of engagement in the after-school STEM programs appear to be an effective catalyst to maintain the interest of girls pursuing STEM-related careers, in addition to allowing their interest in a topic to provide a new lens for the way they see their math work during the school day. The implications of this study show that schools must engage middle school girls who are interested in STEM in a multitude of settings

  1. School Innovation in Science: Improving Science Teaching and Learning in Australian Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tytler, Russell

    2009-01-01

    School Innovation in Science is a major Victorian Government initiative that developed and validated a model whereby schools can improve their science teaching and learning. The initiative was developed and rolled out to more than 400 schools over the period 2000-2004. A research team worked with 200+ primary and secondary schools over three…

  2. "The Text Opened My Eyes": A Book Club on Teaching Writing to ELLs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrei, Elena; Ellerbe, Marcie; Cherner, Todd

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative study looked at a book club for US teachers in public schools focused on teaching writing to English language learners (ELLs). To guide the study, the central research questions were: (1) What are teachers' perceptions about a book club professional development experience?; and (2) How are teachers' views about second language…

  3. Learning surgically oriented anatomy in a student-run extracurricular club: an education through recreation initiative.

    PubMed

    Ullah, Shahnoor M; Bodrogi, Andrew; Cristea, Octav; Johnson, Marjorie; McAlister, Vivian C

    2012-01-01

    Didactic and laboratory anatomical education have seen significant reductions in the medical school curriculum due, in part, to the current shift from basic science to more clinically based teaching in North American medical schools. In order to increase medical student exposure to anatomy, with clinical applicability, a student-run initiative called surgically oriented anatomy prosectors (SOAP) club was created within the extracurricular program at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. SOAP invites surgeons and residents from various surgical specialties to demonstrate, on a cadaver, a surgical procedure of their choosing. During the demonstration, the anatomy, as it relates to the surgical procedure, is discussed. The students then break into smaller groups to examine the relevant anatomy on the cadavers, during which time the discussion is broadened. The group continues the conversation in a social environment with refreshments. SOAP is one of the most popular extracurricular clubs with 65% of first and second year medical students registered as members. The high demand for SOAP, along with the positive participant feedback, may be due to its utilization of the principle of education through recreation, which seeks to provide opportunities for learning seamlessly throughout all facets of life. It also demonstrates the desire, amongst certain medical students, to learn applied anatomy, particularly within a surgical context. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.

  4. "Tipping" Teachers toward Change: Developing Leadership Characteristics through Book Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klinker, JoAnn Franklin; Watson, Patricia A.; Furgerson, Paige; Halsey, Pamela; Janisch, Carole

    2010-01-01

    Teacher leadership is difficult because teachers often lack encouragement and opportunities to implement ideas that deliberately and strategically interact with and tap power structures in schools. In this study, a book club of university faculty and middle school teachers provided teacher leaders with a template for change around concepts…

  5. Solar Fireworks - Integrating an Exhibit on Solar Physics and Space Science into the Science and Astronomy Curriculum of High-School and College Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Denker, C.; Wang, H.; Conod, K. D.; Wintemberg, T.; Calderon, I.

    2005-05-01

    Astronomers at The Newark Museum's Alice and Leonard Dreyfuss Planetarium teamed up with the New Jersey Institute of Technology's (NJIT) Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (CSTR) and the Big Bear Solar Observatory in presenting Solar Fireworks. The exhibit opened on May 15, 2004 and features two exhibition kiosks with interactive touch screen displays, where students and other visitors can take "virtual tours" in the fields of solar physics, solar activity, Sun-Earth connection, and geo-sciences. Planetarium and museum visits are an integral part of the introductory physics and astronomy classes at NJIT and the exhibition has been integrated in the astronomy curriculum. For example, NJIT students of the Astronomy Club and regular astronomy courses were closely involved in the design and development of the exhibit. The exhibit is the latest addition to the long-running natural science exhibit "Dynamic Earth: Revealing Nature's Secrets" at the museum. More than 30,000 people per year attend various programs offered by the planetarium including public shows, more than a dozen programs for school groups, after school activities, portable planetarium outreach, outdoor sky watches, solar observing and other family events. More than 1,000 high school students visited the planetarium in 2004. The exhibit is accompanied by a yearly teacher workshop (the first one was held on October 18-20, 2004) to enhance the learning experience of classes visiting the Newark Museum. The planetarium and museum staff has been working with teachers of Newark high schools and has presented many workshops for educators on a wide range of topics from astronomy to zoology. At the conclusion of the exhibit in December 2005, the exhibit will go "on the road" and will be made available to schools or other museums. Finally, the exhibit will find its permanent home at the new office complex of CSTR at NJIT. Acknowledgements: Solar Fireworks was organized by The Newark Museum and the New Jersey

  6. Lessons of Researcher-Teacher Co-Design of an Environmental Health Afterschool Club Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hundal, Savreen; Levin, Daniel M.; Keselman, Alla

    2014-01-01

    This paper addresses the impact of teachers' beliefs about argumentation and their community of practice framed views of teaching on co-designing an environmental health afterschool club curriculum with researchers. Our team collaborated with a group of four middle school teachers, asking them to co-design a club that would facilitate (1)…

  7. Primary and Secondary School Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Educational Documentation and Information, 1984

    1984-01-01

    This 344-item annotated bibliography presents overview of science teaching in following categories: science education; primary school science; integrated science teaching; teaching of biology, chemistry, physics, earth/space science; laboratory work; computer technology; out-of-school science; science and society; science education at…

  8. Citizen Groups' Perceived Importance of the Major Goals for School Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pogge, Alfred F.; Yager, Robert E.

    1987-01-01

    Discusses survey results which focused on changes in service club members' perception of the science curriculum. Responses indicated an increase in the acceptance of the Project Synthesis goals between the years 1982 and 1984. (ML)

  9. GOAPe: An Urban High School Program out beyond the Concrete.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hagler, Steve

    The Galileo Outdoor Adventures Program (GOAPe) addresses the needs of high school students with a student-centered experiential program that is project- and community-based. At the Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, a public school in inner-city San Francisco, GOAPe is a semester-long program and a student club. From the first day of…

  10. An After School Education Program on the Tohono O'odham Nation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sparks, R. T.; Garmany, K.; Siquieros, J. M.; Austin, C. L.; Pompea, S. M.; Walker, C. E.

    2013-04-01

    The Education and Public Outreach Group (EPO) group of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory has started a partnership with Indian Oasis Baboquivari Unified School District (IOBUSD) on the Tohono O'odham Nation to participate in after school science education programs. IOBUSD has started an after school program for K-5 students as part of their state mandated school improvement program. The first semester has approximately 50 students in K-5 participating in the after school program from Monday through Thursday. Several organizations are working with IOBUSD to provide after school educational programs focusing on a variety of topics including study skills, art, nutrition, bullying, study skills and science. NOAO has been working primarily with the fourth and fifth grade students during the spring of 2012 once a week providing science programs in optics, dark skies and astronomy. We are currently planning to continue this partnership in the fall of 2012 when the school district is planning to invite more students to join the program. We will discuss many the challenges of working with a school district in a remote location as well as the activities we have been using with the students. We will also outline plans for future directions in the program.

  11. Attracting Youth to Agriculture: The Career Interests of Young Farmers Club Members in Uganda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mukembo, Stephen C.; Edwards, M. Craig; Ramsey, Jon W.; Henneberry, Shida R.

    2014-01-01

    This embedded, quantitative case study included 102 participants who were members of Young Farmers Clubs (YFCs) from two secondary schools in eastern Uganda. The study's multifold purpose was to describe YFC members' personal characteristics and their reasons for joining the clubs. In addition, the study sought to determine the career…

  12. Club practice

    PubMed Central

    Bloor, D. U.

    1982-01-01

    There were many forms of club or contract practice in the nineteenth century, but the friendly societies were the most important. A brief history of the friendly societies is given. As they grew in numbers and importance so did the dissatisfaction of the doctors who worked with them. Discontent among the doctors led at the end of the century to a battle between the medical profession and the clubs. The issues which divided the clubs and the doctors were clearly defined but, although the battle was protracted, the doctors did not win or manage to change the system of medical provision for the poor. The club system was ended by Lloyd George when he introduced his National Insurance Act, 1911. PMID:7050375

  13. [Club drugs].

    PubMed

    Guerreiro, Diogo Frasquilho; Carmo, Ana Lisa; da Silva, Joaquim Alves; Navarro, Rita; Góis, Carlos

    2011-01-01

    Club drugs are the following substances: Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA); Methamphetamine; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD); Ketamine; Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Flunitrazepam. These substances are mainly used by adolescents and young adults, mostly in recreational settings like dance clubs and rave parties. These drugs have diverse psychotropic effects, are associated with several degrees of toxicity, dependence and long term adverse effects. Some have been used for several decades, while others are relatively recent substances of abuse. They have distinct pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, are not easy to detect and, many times, the use of club drugs is under diagnosed. Although the use of these drugs is increasingly common, few health professionals feel comfortable with the diagnosis and treatment. The authors performed a systematic literature review, with the goal of synthesising the existing knowledge about club drugs, namely epidemiology, mechanism of action, detection, adverse reactions and treatment. The purpose of this article is creating in Portuguese language a knowledge data base on club drugs, that health professionals of various specialties can use as a reference when dealing with individual with this kind of drug abuse.

  14. Health promotion profile of youth sports clubs in Finland: club officials' and coaches' perceptions.

    PubMed

    Kokko, Sami; Kannas, Lasse; Villberg, Jari

    2009-03-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine the current health promotion orientation of youth sports clubs in Finland in view of the standards created previously for the health promoting sports club (HPSC). Ninety-seven youth sports clubs participated, and 273 sports club officials and 240 coaches answered the questionnaires. To describe clubs health promotion orientations, an HPSC index was created. The HPSC index was formulated on sub-indices by factor analysis. The sub-indices were: policy, ideology, practice and environment indexes. The results indicate that youth sports clubs are fairly health promoting in general. On average, the clubs fulfilled 12 standards for HPSC out of 22. Every fourth club was categorized as higher health promoting (> or = 15 fulfilled standards), and every third as lower health promoting (<11 fulfilled standards). The variation between clubs was wide. The clubs that had been recognized as exemplary and hence certified by the Young Finland Association were more likely to recognize health promotion than non-certified clubs (OR = 2.36, p = 0.016). The sports club officials were twice as likely to evaluate their clubs as higher health promoting than the coaches (OR = 2.04, p = 0.041). Under the sub-indices, ideologies were recognized best, others less. These findings indicate that minority of the youth sports clubs have realized health promotion comprehensively as a part of their activities. There is a lot of need for development, especially in the area of health promotion policies and practices. The instruments used proved valid and reliable and can therefore be recommended for international use.

  15. Student experience of school science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shirazi, Shaista

    2017-09-01

    This paper presents the findings of a two-phase mixed methods research study that explores the link between experiences of school science of post-16 students and their decisions to take up science for their higher studies. In the first phase, students aged 16-17 (n = 569) reflected on the past five years of their school science experience in a quasi-longitudinal approach to determine a typology of experiences. The second phase entailed data collection through interviews of a sample of these students (n = 55) to help triangulate and extend findings from the first phase. Students taking up science post-16 reported significantly more positive experiences of school science than students who had decided not to take science further. Of school-related factors influencing experiences of school science curriculum content was the most important followed by being interested and motivated in the subject. There is evidence that interest and motivation in science depend on teacher practice and the perception of science as a difficult subject.

  16. Middle School Optics Education: Hitting the Target or Impedance Mismatch?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pompea, Stephen M.; Walker, C. E.; Sparks, R. T.

    2006-12-01

    Traditionally, optics has been taught to upper-level students. Where can optics-related education topics best be used in the pre-high school curriculum? Is optics better introduced in an informal or formal education setting? What can be done about educator content knowledge, or lack thereof? What is the proper use of inquiry-oriented and investigatory activities? How can optics industry volunteers play an educational role? This talk describes the educational design and programmatic decisions made by the Hands-On Optics (HOO) project in an attempt to address these questions. HOO is a collaborative 4-year program to create and sustain a unique, national, informal science education program to excite students about science by actively engaging them in optics activities. HOO grew from a series of regional planning workshops and a planning grant investigating these questions. The project partners are SPIE-The International Society for Optical Engineering, the Optical Society of America (OSA), and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). The Hands-On Optics program has developed a series of six educational modules with full classroom-ready kits covering a variety of topics. These standards-based activities and demonstrations have been successfully used in a variety of settings including after-school clubs, science centers, and Boys and Girls Clubs. HOO content covers the concepts of reflection, image formation, polarization, ultraviolet and infrared light, and communication on a laser beam. Funding is by the NSF ISE program. Project PI is Anthony M. Johnson, University of Maryland Baltimore County.

  17. The Relationship between Intensity and Breadth of After-School Program Participation and Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Short-Term Longitudinal Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Springer, Ken; Diffily, Deborah

    2012-01-01

    We explored the extent to which intensity and breadth of participation in an after-school program (ASP) predicted academic achievement, as measured by changes in grades and attendance. The sample comprised 719 2nd-grade through 8th-grade Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas members during the 2009-2010 academic year. With respect to intensity,…

  18. The Effect of Robotics Competitions on High School Students' Attitudes toward Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Welch, Anita; Huffman, Douglas

    2011-01-01

    This study was designed to examine the impact of participating in an after-school robotics competition on high school students' attitudes toward science. Specifically, this study used the Test of Science-Related Attitude to measure students' social implications of science, normality of scientists, attitude toward scientific inquiry, adoption of…

  19. Just Another Club? The Distinctiveness of the Relation between Religious Service Attendance and Adolescent Psychosocial Adjustment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Good, Marie; Willoughby, Teena; Fritjers, Jan

    2009-01-01

    This study used hierarchical linear modeling to compare longitudinal patterns of adolescent religious service attendance and club attendance, and to contrast the longitudinal relations between adolescent adjustment and religious service versus club attendance. Participants included 1050 students (47% girls) encompassing a school district in…

  20. Why Inner-City High-School Students Attend After-School Physical Activity Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whalen, Laurel; McCaughtry, Nate; Garn, Alex; Kulik, Noel; Centeio, Erin E.; Maljak, Kimberly; Kaseta, Michele; Shen, Bo; Martin, Jeffrey

    2016-01-01

    Objective: The population of young people most vulnerable to low levels of physical activity (e.g. urban/minority/low socio-economic status/female/non-athletes) often has the least access to physical activity opportunities and resources. It has been suggested that a comprehensive, school-based approach, including prudent use of time before, during…

  1. Unionville, Pennsylvania School's Stream Restoration Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madsen, S. M.

    2004-12-01

    For the past three years, students and Earth Club members of C.F. Patton Middle School and Unionville High School have been involved in a stream restoration and monitoring project along a tributary to the East Branch of the Red Clay Creek in Pennsylvania. The Red Clay is within the larger Christina River Basin watershed which drains to Delaware Bay. Total funding of \\$962.00 was awarded by the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Foundation to purchase both stream monitoring equipment and native plant species for stream restoration. Nine science teachers in the school district received certification in stream monitoring by the Pennsylvania State Parks Division. Certification enables the science faculty and their students to enter monitoring data in a statewide stream database. The stream data includes: temperature, levels of dissolved oxygen and nutrients, pH, alkalinity, conductivity, and a complete biosurvey of invertebrates. In addition to ongoing monitoring, the Earth Club sponsored a name-the-stream contest. Quartz Creek was chosen for this previously unnamed tributary. Its' name was approved by the East Marlborough Township Supervisor in May, 2004 and was then submitted to the USGS' Board on Geographic Names. The Earth Club has also sponsored a stream restoration contest. Students in the middle school were encouraged to design a habitat along the stream banks that would keep sediment in-place, while encouraging wildlife. The stream was originally crowded with invasive multi-flora rose but this was removed with the help of parents and students over a two year period. The winning student poster was outstanding and native species were purchased and planted following the poster's design. The planting took place in May, 2004 with over 40 persons involved including 25 middle school and 8 high school students, teachers from the schools, administrators and employees of the Brandywine Conservancy, and Red Clay Valley and Brandywine Valley Associations, and graduate

  2. The Continuous Quality Improvement Book Club: Developing a Book Club to Promote Praxis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lyons, Becky; Ray, Chris

    2014-01-01

    This article poses a model for developing a book club to promote praxis. This model is built upon a basic four step framework for developing book clubs and includes specific recommendations to focus the book club on reflection of theory and how to incorporate it into practice. This model will be used to start a book club examining Continuous…

  3. [To the 80-anniversary of cholinesterase. The cholinesterase club in Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry].

    PubMed

    Rozengart, E V; Basova, N E; Moralev, S N

    2012-01-01

    For the second half of the XX century, Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences was the center of the Russian cholinesterase investigations ("the Russian cholinesterase club"). The close cooperation with chemists-syntheticians of different scientific schools provided success and fruitfulness of this scientific search. All these years, there was preserved dualism of this investigation: a study of the mechanism of functioning and kinetics of cholinesterase catalysis as well as the comparative-enzymological character of studies of cholinesterases of the animals being at different levels of evolutionary development.

  4. The impact of fathers' clubs on child health in rural Haiti.

    PubMed

    Sloand, Elizabeth; Astone, Nan Marie; Gebrian, Bette

    2010-02-01

    In recognition of the important role that fathers play in the lives of young children in Haiti, a public health organization instituted fathers' clubs in 1994 as a strategy to improve the health outcomes of children. Fathers' clubs focus on child and family health education. To evaluate the effectiveness of fathers' clubs, we examined the health of children born in Haitian villages with and without active fathers' clubs and compared results for the two groups. The presence of a fathers' club in a child's birth village had a positive effect on vaccination status, growth monitoring, and vitamin A supplementation after we controlled for socioeconomic status, time, and the quality of the village health agent. Child weights and mortality were not affected by the fathers' clubs.

  5. Transnational Alliances: "La Clase Mágica--Nepohualtzitzin" Ethnomathematics Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prieto, Linda; Claeys, Lorena; González, Everardo Lara

    2015-01-01

    This article exposes the ancient "Nepohualtzitzin" as an important contemporary mathematical tool. The design and development of "Nepohualtzitzin" Ethnomathematics Clubs (NECs) in predominantly Latina/o and low-income schools is also presented. NECs provide informal learning opportunities to develop and strengthen cultural…

  6. The 1939-1940 New York World's Fair and the Transformation of the American Science Extracurriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terzian, Sevan G.

    2009-01-01

    At the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair, several thousand boys and girls, all members of a growing national network of high school science and engineering clubs, displayed their science fair projects and conducted live experiments to more than 10 million visitors. Housed in the building sponsored by the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing…

  7. Picture This!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McMahon, Maureen M.

    2002-01-01

    Outlines the development of an after school science club in which students find a science topic of interest and create a storyboard through photographs. Includes tips for shooting photographs and equipment suggestions. (DDR)

  8. Science mentor program at Mission Hill Junior High School

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

    Dahlquist, K.

    Science graduate students from the University of California at Santa Cruz mentor a class of 7th graders from the Mission Hill Junior High School. The program`s purpose is: (1) to create a scientific learning community where scientists interact at different levels of the educational hierarchy; (2) to have fun in order to spark interest in science; and (3) to support girls and minority students in science. A total of seven mentors met with the students at least once a week after school for one quarter to tutor and assist with science fair projects. Other activities included a field trip tomore » a university earth science lab, judging the science fair, and assisting during laboratory exercises. Graduate students run the program with minimal organization and funding, communicating by electronic mail. An informal evaluation of the program by the mentors has concluded that the most valuable and effective activities have been the field trip and assisting with labs. The actual {open_quotes}mentor meetings{close_quotes} after school did not work effectively because they had a vaguely defined purpose and the kids did not show up regularly to participate. Future directions include redefining ourselves as mentors for the entire school instead of just one class and better coordinating our activities with the teachers` curriculum. We will continue to assist with the labs and organize formal tutoring for students having problems with math and science. Finally, we will arrange more activities and field trips such as an amateur astronomy night. We will especially target girls who attended the {open_quotes}Expanding Your Horizons{trademark} in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering{close_quotes} career day for those activities.« less

  9. How the M.A.P. Club Changed Perceptions of Students with Special Needs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brennan, J. Patrick, II; Brennan, Kathleen B.

    1999-01-01

    A job club at a rural high school helped students with disabilities by involving them in meaningful projects in the school and community. Recycling and other projects taught them job skills; raised their self-esteem; and improved perceptions of the community, school personnel, and regular education students toward students with disabilities. (TD)

  10. Chess in Schools: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jerrim, John; Macmillan, Lindsey; Micklewright, John; Sawtell, Mary; Wiggins, Meg

    2016-01-01

    Chess in Primary Schools is a whole-school approach to teaching primary school children how to play chess. Children take 30 hours of chess lessons delivered by a tutor who is an experienced chess player, and the school is given the option to set up a chess club as a lunchtime or after-school activity. Chess classes are delivered during the school…

  11. Enhancing science education through extracurricular activities: A retrospective study of "Suzy Science and the Whiz Kids(c)"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kralina, Linda M.

    Extracurricular activities (ECA) are informal settings offering free-choice experiences that are generally voluntary, open-ended, non-sequential, self-directed, hands-on, and evaluation-free. This mixed methods study investigates participation in a high school science ECA by collecting the memories of former student members for their perceptions of engagement as well as social positioning. First, this study examines the levels in which the science club engaged these members, particularly females, in science and teaching. Second, the study also ascertains how participation in the club allowed members to explore new identities and fostered the development of new skills, actions and behaviors, expanding possible future trajectories of identification, specifically in science- and education-related career fields. Based on a review of the related literature regarding engagement and identity formation and the reconstructed reality from the memories of these students and sponsor, a theoretical framework has been constructed, based on seven essential elements of informal learning for an engaging as well as a socially constructive high school science ECA. The most significant findings are (1) the high correlation between engagement, specifically, cognitive engagement with social positioning, (2) the important role of emotional engagement in science ECA, (3) the major perception roadblocks to science learning that can be overcome, particularly for females in physical science, and (4) the importance of the teacher-student interactions in science ECA. Articulating a theoretical framework to legitimate the power of informal learning structures may help other educators to understand the potential benefits of science ECA and thus, increase opportunities for such experiential activities in order to enhance engagement and expand positioning of their students in science. More engaging, socially constructive science ECA have the potential to enhance science education.

  12. Can participation in a school science fair improve middle school students' attitudes toward science and interest in science careers?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Finnerty, Valerie

    The purpose of this study was to investigate whether participation in a school-based science fair affects middle school students' attitudes toward science and interest in science and engineering careers. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare students' pre- and posttest attitudes toward and interest in science. Forty-eight of the 258 participants completed a school-based science fair during the study. In addition, twelve middle school science teachers completed an online survey. Both the Survey of Science Attitudes and Interest I and II (SSAI-I and II) measured students' attitudes toward and interest in science and science and mathematics self-efficacy, asked about classroom inquiry experiences and gathered demographic information. An online survey gathered qualitative data about science teachers' perceptions of school science fairs. The results showed no significant interactions among completion of a science fair project and attitudes toward and interest in science, science and mathematics self-efficacy or gender. There were significant differences at both pre- and posttest in attitudes between the students who did and did not complete a science fair project. All participating teachers believed that participation in science fairs could have a positive effect on students' attitudes and interest, but cited lack of time as a major impediment. There was significant interaction between level of classroom inquiry and attitudes and interest in science; students who reported more experiences had higher scores on these measures. Classroom inquiry also interacted with the effects of a science fair and participants' pre- and posttest attitude scores. Finally, the amount and source of assistance on a science fair project had a significant impact on students' posttest measures. Major limitations which affect the generalization of these findings include the timing of the administration of the pretest, the number of participants in the experimental group and differences

  13. Using constructivist teaching strategies in high school science classrooms to cultivate positive attitudes toward science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heron, Lory Elen

    This study investigated the premise that the use of constructivist teaching strategies (independent variable) in high school science classrooms can cultivate positive attitudes toward science (dependent variable) in high school students. Data regarding the relationship between the use of constructivist strategies and change in student attitude toward science were collected using the Science Attitude Assessment Tool (SAAT) (Heron & Beauchamp, 1996). The format of this study used the pre-test, post-test, control group-experimental group design. The subjects in the study were high school students enrolled in biology, chemistry, or environmental science courses in two high schools in the western United States. Ten teachers and twenty-eight classes, involving a total of 249 students participated in the study. Six experimental group teachers and four control group teachers were each observed an average of six times using the Science Observation Guide (Chapman, 1995) to measure the frequency of observed constructivist behaviors. The mean for the control group teachers was 12.89 and the mean for experimental group teachers was 20.67; F(1, 8) = 16.2, p =.004, revealing teaching behaviors differed significantly between the two groups. After a four month experimental period, the pre-test and post-test SAAT scores were analyzed. Students received a score for their difference in positive attitude toward science. The null hypothesis stating there would be no change in attitude toward science as a subject, between students exposed to constructivist strategies, and students not exposed to constructivist strategies was rejected F(1, 247) = 8.04, p =.005. The control group had a generally higher reported grade in their last science class than the experimental group, yet the control group attitude toward science became more negative (-1.18) while attitude toward science in the experimental group became more positive (+1.34) after the four-month period. An analysis of positive

  14. Undergraduate basic science preparation for dental school.

    PubMed

    Humphrey, Sue P; Mathews, Robert E; Kaplan, Alan L; Beeman, Cynthia S

    2002-11-01

    In the Institute of Medicines report Dental Education at the Crossroads, it was suggested that dental schools across the country move toward integrated basic science education for dental and medical students in their curricula. To do so, dental school admission requirements and recommendations must be closely reviewed to ensure that students are adequately prepared for this coursework. The purpose of our study was twofold: 1) to identify student dentists' perceptions of their predental preparation as it relates to course content, and 2) to track student dentists' undergraduate basic science course preparation and relate that to DAT performance, basic science course performance in dental school, and Part I and Part II National Board performance. In the first part of the research, a total of ninety student dentists (forty-five from each class) from the entering classes of 1996 and 1997 were asked to respond to a survey. The survey instrument was distributed to each class of students after each completed the largest basic science class given in their second-year curriculum. The survey investigated the area of undergraduate major, a checklist of courses completed in their undergraduate preparation, the relevance of the undergraduate classes to the block basic science courses, and the strength of requiring or recommending the listed undergraduate courses as a part of admission to dental school. Results of the survey, using frequency analysis, indicate that students felt that the following classes should be required, not recommended, for admission to dental school: Microbiology 70 percent, Biochemistry 54.4 percent, Immunology 57.78 percent, Anatomy 50 percent, Physiology 58.89 percent, and Cell Biology 50 percent. The second part of the research involved anonymously tracking undergraduate basic science preparation of the same students with DAT scores, the grade received in a representative large basic science course, and Part I and Part II National Board performance

  15. Impact of Texas high school science teacher credentials on student performance in high school science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    George, Anna Ray Bayless

    A study was conducted to determine the relationship between the credentials held by science teachers who taught at a school that administered the Science Texas Assessment on Knowledge and Skills (Science TAKS), the state standardized exam in science, at grade 11 and student performance on a state standardized exam in science administered in grade 11. Years of teaching experience, teacher certification type(s), highest degree level held, teacher and school demographic information, and the percentage of students who met the passing standard on the Science TAKS were obtained through a public records request to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC). Analysis was performed through the use of canonical correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicate that a larger percentage of students met the passing standard on the Science TAKS state attended schools in which a large portion of the high school science teachers held post baccalaureate degrees, elementary and physical science certifications, and had 11-20 years of teaching experience.

  16. Just another club? The distinctiveness of the relation between religious service attendance and adolescent psychosocial adjustment.

    PubMed

    Good, Marie; Willoughby, Teena; Fritjers, Jan

    2009-10-01

    This study used hierarchical linear modeling to compare longitudinal patterns of adolescent religious service attendance and club attendance, and to contrast the longitudinal relations between adolescent adjustment and religious service versus club attendance. Participants included 1050 students (47% girls) encompassing a school district in Canada, who completed the survey first in grade nine and again in grades 11 and 12. Results demonstrated that patterns of religious service attendance over time were quite different from other clubs. Religious attendance was uniquely associated with several indicators of positive as well as negative adjustment. Club involvement, conversely, was only associated with positive adjustment--particularly for individuals who reported sustained involvement over time. Findings suggest that religious services may provide some unique experiences--both positive and negative--over and above what may be provided in other clubs, and that sustained, rather than sporadic participation in clubs, may be especially important for adolescent adjustment.

  17. SoSTI Course: An Elective Science Course for Thai Upper Secondary School Non-Science Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pruekpramool, Chaninan; Phonphok, Nason; White, Orvil L.; Musikul, Kusalin

    2013-01-01

    This study is aimed to develop the interdisciplinary SoSTI (science of sound in traditional Thai musical instruments) course for Thai non-science upper secondary school students to study the students' attitudes toward science before and after studying from the course. The SoSTI course development is based on the interdisciplinary concept model and…

  18. Psychosocial moderators of associations between life events and changes in physical activity after leaving high school.

    PubMed

    Simons, Dorien; Rosenberg, Michael; Salmon, Jo; Knuiman, Matthew; Granich, Joanna; Deforche, Benedicte; Timperio, Anna

    2015-03-01

    To examine 1) associations between life events and changes in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in school leavers and 2) whether these associations are moderated by psychosocial factors. Final year students (n=440) from high schools in rural Western Australia completed annual telephone interviews on three occasions; baseline (T1), one-year follow-up (T2; n=440) and two-year follow-up (T3; n=374). LTPA was measured using the Minnesota Leisure-time Physical Activity Questionnaire. Life events included moving out of home, working full-time and studying full-time. Psychosocial factors included enjoyment, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, club membership, and support from family and friends. Mixed linear regression models examined the effect of life events on changes in LTPA from T1 to T2 and T1 to T3. A decline in LTPA across all time points was observed. Those who continued full-time education had a smaller LTPA decline than those who did not. Those who were not a member of a sporting club at T1 had greater LTPA decline if they worked full-time at T2. There is a need for interventions to prevent declines in LTPA among school leavers, especially those who do not enter tertiary education. Encouraging sporting club membership during high school might be important. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. The Wilkins Institute for Science Education: A science-centered magnet school

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilkins, Gary Dean

    The problem that this study addressed is that excellent science instruction is not consistently provided by traditional public schools. This study utilized a review of the literature, interviews, surveys, and focus groups. This study provides the basis for the proposed design of a school that can be the solution to the problem. Conducted in 1995, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) showed that our efforts to improve U.S. education have had some successes, but overall have been ineffective in raising U.S. performance from a middle-of-the-pack position. At the end of secondary schooling, which in the U.S. is 12 th grade, U.S. performance was among the lowest in both science and math, including our most advanced students (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2001). For this research project I surveyed 412 students and 218 parents or guardians. I conducted interviews and focus groups with 10 participants who were science teachers or educators, and 10 participants who were scientists. The surveys presented 12 factors, believed to be valued as part of an excellent science education, which were security, social activities, sports, computers, reading and writing, hands-on equipment, industry support, and cafeteria. The survey participants rated each factor from most to least important. The focus groups and the interviews covered science education in general, as well as these same 12 topics. Students and parents agreed that qualified instructors is the item that is most important to provide quality science instruction. Students and parents disagreed most on the item reading and writing, which students ranked 9th, but parents ranked 2nd, a difference of 7 rankings. Considering only the item that was ranked number 1, students identified sports most often as most important, but parents disagreed and ranked this 8th, a difference of 7 ranks. After this dissertation is completed, it is my intent to benefit students with the implementation of the

  20. The Washington Biologists' Field Club : Its members and its history (1900-2006)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Perry, M.C.

    2007-01-01

    This book is based on the interesting one-hundred-plus-year history of the Club and its members. Plummers Island and the historic cabin on the Island have served as a common meeting area where the Club members have conducted research and held many social activities for over a century. The history has been written and revised over the years by members, and the biographical sketches also have been collected and written by the members. The Club was formed in 1900 and incorporated as a society in 1901 for scientists in the Washington, D.C., area. In recent years the Club has sponsored research by many non-member local scientists with grants totaling over $305,000. The cumulative total of 267 members represents all branches of natural science, with a strong emphasis on biology as the Club name indicates. In addition to the biologists there have been famous naturalists (e.g., John Burroughs), high-level administrators (e.g., Ira Gabrielson), and well-known artists (e.g., Roger Tory Peterson). Most members have been biological scientists, working for agencies in the Washington, D.C., area, who have published many articles and books dealing with biology and related subjects. The book is publIshed mainly for the benefit of the living Club members and for relatives of the deceased members. The members hope that the book will find its way into libraries across the country and that in the future, persons interested in some of the pioneer scientists, in the various professional areas of science, can obtain biographical information from a well-documented source. Most of the 542 illustrations of the members, cabin, and the Island have not been published previously. It is hopeful that the biographical sketches, pictures, and other information presented in this book can generate new information for future publications and for the website of the Washington Biologists' Field Club, which is updated frequently.

  1. Get Wet: Bringing Water and Wetland Education to After-School Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liggit, Peggy; Moore-Hart, Margaret; Daisey, Peggy

    2004-01-01

    Preservation of clean water resources and after school concern about the kids, in South-East Michigan, led to the formation of "The Water Educational Training" (WET) science project. The main goal of WET is to create environment awareness in elementary and middle after school settings.

  2. Enhancing Teacher and Student Engagement and Understanding of Marine Science Through Classroom Citizen Science Projects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goodale, T. A.

    2016-02-01

    Overview This paper presentation shares findings from a granted funded project that sought to expand teacher content knowledge and pedagogy within the fields of marine science and coastal resource management through the implementation of classroom citizen science projects. A secondary goal was to increase middle and high school student interest and participation in marine science and natural resources research. Background A local science & engineering fair has seen a rapid decline in secondary student participants in the past four years. Research has demonstrated that when students are a part of a system of knowledge production (citizen science) they become much more aware, involved and conscious of scientific concepts compared to traditional school laboratory and nature of science activities. This project's primary objectives were to: (a) enhance teacher content expertise in marine science, (b) enrich teacher professional learning, (c) support citizen science classroom projects and inspire student activism and marine science engagement. Methods Project goals were addressed through classroom and meaningful outdoor educational experiences that put content knowledge into field based practices. Teachers learned to apply thier expanded content knowlege through classroom citizen science projects that focus on marine resource conservation issues such as fisheries management, water quality, turtle nesting and biodiversity of coastal ecosystems. These projects would eventually become potential topics of citizen science research topics for their students to pursue. Upon completion of their professional development, participants were urged to establish student Marine Science clubs with the goal of mentoring student submissions into the local science fair. Supplemental awards were possible for the students of project participants. Findings Based on project measures participants significantly increased their knowledge and awareness of presented material marine science and

  3. Science for the People: High School Students Investigate Community Air Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marks-Block, Tony

    2011-01-01

    Over a year, a small group of high school students risked their afternoons and summer to participate in a science program that was "much different from science class." This was one of several after-school programs in Oakland and Richmond that the author was leading as an instructor with the East Bay Academy for Young Scientists (EBAYS). Students…

  4. Join This Cool Club!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Novelli, Joan

    1995-01-01

    Students can study the Arctic by creating Arctic clubs, using modems to communicate with students nationwide who are following International Arctic Project (IAP) explorers. The article describes the IAP, explains how to form a club, and discusses issues that clubs can tackle, for example, pollution, Arctic animals, natural resources, and the…

  5. My Bluford High Boys: How a Book Club for Reluctant Readers Proved the Naysayers Wrong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stevenson, Sara

    2009-01-01

    As a middle school librarian in Austin, Texas, the author has been running weekly book clubs for years, which covered many genres that appeal to a wide cross section of kids. When approached by a group of Latino boys from low-income families, the author was inspired to run a Bluford High book club for reluctant readers. The author shares how she…

  6. Twitter journal clubs and continuing professional development: An analysis of a #MedRadJClub tweet chat.

    PubMed

    Bolderston, A; Watson, J; Woznitza, N; Westerink, A; Di Prospero, L; Currie, G; Beardmore, C; Hewis, J

    2018-02-01

    Online Twitter journal clubs are a recent and popular innovation with the potential to increase research awareness and inform practice. The medical radiation sciences' MedRadJournalClub (MJRC) is a Twitter-based event that attracts a global group of participants at the monthly chats. An analysis of a recent MedRadJournalClub discussion evaluated the perceived benefits and limitations of medical radiation practitioners participating in an online journal club. The February 2017 chat used for analysis was based on the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences article by Currie et al. "Twitter Journal Club in Medical Radiation Science" that examines the educational theory behind learning and evidencing professional development through MRJC and social media. The data consisted of chat tweets which were collated using the Twitter advanced search function using the #medradjclub. An initial reviewed was performed to exclude irrelevant content. A second review was then undertaken to categorize the main theme of the tweet. The data were then subjected to thematic analysis which yielded seven different categories. The main benefits included global access due to the online nature of MRJC that has facilitated networking and collaboration. Open access to recently published research was another key benefit. The character limitation of a tweet was the most common constraint, and the dynamic nature of the twitter conversation requires multi-tasking that may be difficult. Our analysis indicated that participants use MedRadJournalClub as a source of continuing professional development with some evidence that this is directly informing clinical and educational practice. Copyright © 2017 The College of Radiographers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Exploring Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students' Identities in an Afterschool Book Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Yu-Chi

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative research aims to investigate identity positions of elementary school students with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) background in an afterschool book club. The increasing population of CLD students and their learning needs have become a national focus in American schools. Scholars have highlighted that understanding…

  8. School connectedness and high school graduation among maltreated youth.

    PubMed

    Lemkin, Allison; Kistin, Caroline J; Cabral, Howard J; Aschengrau, Ann; Bair-Merritt, Megan

    2018-01-01

    Maltreated youth have higher rates of school dropout than their non-maltreated peers. School connectedness is a modifiable predictor of school success. We hypothesized maltreated youth's school connectedness (supportive relationships with adults at school and participation in school clubs) would be positively associated with high school graduation. We included youth with at least one Child Protective Services (CPS) report by age twelve from Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect, a prospective cohort study. Participation in extracurricular activities and adult relationships reported at age 16, high school graduation/General Education Development (GED) status reported at age 18, and demographics were provided by youth and caregivers. Maltreatment data were coded from CPS records. The outcome was graduation/receipt of GED. Multivariable logistic regressions examined the association between school connectedness and graduation/receipt of GED, controlling for confounders. In our sample of 318 maltreated youth, 73.3% graduated. School club was the only activity with a statistically significant association with graduation in bivariate analysis. Having supportive relationships with an adult at school was not significantly associated with graduation, though only 10.7% of youth reported this relationship. Maltreated youth who participated in school clubs had 2.54 times the odds of graduating, adjusted for study site, gender, poverty status, caregiver high school graduation status, and age at first CPS report (95% CI: [1.02, 6.33]). Few maltreated youth reported relationships with adults at school, and additional efforts may be needed to support these vulnerable youth. School club participation may represent an opportunity to modify maltreated youth's risk for school dropout. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Argonne Director Eric Isaacs addresses the National Press Club

    ScienceCinema

    Eric Isaccs

    2017-12-09

    Argonne Director Eric Isaacs addresses the National Press Club on 9/15/2009. To build a national economy based on sustainable energy, the nation must first "reignite its innovation ecology," he said. Issacs makes the case for investing in science to secure America's future.

  10. Argonne Director Eric Isaacs addresses the National Press Club

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

    Eric Isaccs

    2009-09-17

    Argonne Director Eric Isaacs addresses the National Press Club on 9/15/2009. To build a national economy based on sustainable energy, the nation must first "reignite its innovation ecology," he said. Issacs makes the case for investing in science to secure America's future.

  11. STEM after school programming: The effect on student achievement and attitude

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ashford, Vanessa Dale

    Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum has become a major component in to 21st century teaching and learning. STEM skills and STEM careers are in demand globally. Disadvantaged and minority students continue to have an achievement gap in STEM classes. They do not perform well in elementary and middle school and frequently do not pursue STEM-based studies in high school or careers in the field. One innovation in STEM education is after-school programming to increase student interest, attitudes, and achievement. This mixed-methods study examines the Discovery Place After-School STEM Program to compare the achievement levels of participants to non-participants in the program and provides recommendations for STEM after-school programming across the district. As part of the study, teachers were interviewed to examine attitudes and perceptions about the program. This study was conducted at an elementary school in a large urban school district in the southeastern United States which has a unique STEM-based after-school program. Student performance data indicated a significant difference in achievement between participants and non-participants in the program as measured by fifth grade science End-of-Grade test. Data from the seven units of study in the program showed significant achievement for three of the seven units.

  12. The youth sports club as a health-promoting setting: An integrative review of research

    PubMed Central

    Quennerstedt, Mikael; Eriksson, Charli

    2013-01-01

    Aims: The aims of this review is to compile and identify key issues in international research about youth sports clubs as health-promoting settings, and then discuss the results of the review in terms of a framework for the youth sports club as a health-promoting setting. Methods: The framework guiding this review of research is the health-promoting settings approach introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO). The method used is the integrated review. Inclusion criteria were, first, that the studies concerned sports clubs for young people, not professional clubs; second, that it be a question of voluntary participation in some sort of ongoing organized athletics outside of the regular school curricula; third, that the studies consider issues about youth sports clubs in terms of health-promoting settings as described by WHO. The final sample for the review consists of 44 publications. Results: The review shows that youth sports clubs have plentiful opportunities to be or become health-promoting settings; however this is not something that happens automatically. To do so, the club needs to include an emphasis on certain important elements in its strategies and daily practices. The youth sports club needs to be a supportive and healthy environment with activities designed for and adapted to the specific age-group or stage of development of the youth. Conclusions: To become a health-promoting setting, a youth sports club needs to take a comprehensive approach to its activities, aims, and purposes. PMID:23349167

  13. Home Culture, Science, School and Science Learning: Is Reconciliation Possible?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tan, Aik-Ling

    2011-01-01

    In response to Meyer and Crawford's article on how nature of science and authentic science inquiry strategies can be used to support the learning of science for underrepresented students, I explore the possibly of reconciliation between the cultures of school, science, school science as well as home. Such reconciliation is only possible when…

  14. The Flipped Journal Club.

    PubMed

    Bounds, Richard; Boone, Stephen

    2018-01-01

    Educators struggle to develop a journal club format that promotes active participation from all levels of trainees. The explosion of social media compels residencies to incorporate the evaluation and application of these resources into evidence-based practice. We sought to design an innovative "flipped journal club" to achieve greater effectiveness in meeting goals and objectives among residents and faculty. Each journal club is focused on a specific clinical question based on a landmark article, a background article, and a podcast or blog post. With the "flipped" model, residents are assigned to prepare an in-depth discussion of one of these works based on their level of training. At journal club, trainees break into small groups and discuss their assigned readings with faculty facilitation. Following the small-group discussions, all participants convene to summarize key points. In redesigning our journal club, we sought to achieve specific educational outcomes, and improve participant engagement and overall impressions. Sixty-one residents at our emergency medicine program participated in the flipped journal club during the 2015-2016 academic year, with supervision by core faculty. Program evaluation for the flipped journal club was performed using an anonymous survey, with response rates of 70% and 56% for residents and faculty, respectively. Overall, 95% of resident respondents and 100% of faculty respondents preferred the flipped format. The "flipped journal club" hinges upon well-selected articles, incorporation of social media, and small-group discussions. This format engages all residents, holds learners accountable, and encourages greater participation among residents and faculty.

  15. Change Agent Research for Windsor Aquatic Club (CAR/WAC).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moriarty, Dick; Olafson, Gord

    This study of the Windsor Aquatic Club (WAC) was undertaken to investigate the following problems and questions: (a) identification of goals; (b) conflict in the interface of age class and school class swimming, as well as the interface of municipal, regional, provincial, federal, and international organizations; (c) identification of task,…

  16. Night club patrons who feel safe will return: Evidence to encourage management to address club violence.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Mark B; Voas, Robert; Miller, Brenda A; Byrnes, Hilary; Bourdeau, Beth

    2016-02-01

    There is substantial evidence that heavy drinking is associated with aggression and violence. Most managers of drinking establishments are required to maintain a security staff to deal with disruptive patrons who threaten an organization's business or legal status. However, managers may focus little on minor instances of aggression even though these may escalate into more serious events. We hypothesize that proactive security efforts may positively affect patrons' perceptions of nighttime safety and influence their decisions to return to the club, thereby affecting the club's bottom line. Data for this study were collected from entry and exit surveys with 1714 attendees at 70 electronic music dance events at 10 clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area (2010-2012). Participants were asked to report on observations and experiences with aggressive behavior while in the club, their overall perception of club safety, and their plans to return to the same club in the next 30 days. Mediational multiple regression analysis was used to relate observations of club security to perceptions of personal safety and plans to return to the club. Reported observations of an active club security staff were positively related to perceptions of personal safety. Safety perceptions, in turn, were significantly related to plans to return to the club. The indirect path between perceptions of security and plans to return was significant as well. The results suggest that an active security presence inside clubs can encourage club attendance by providing an environment where minor altercations are minimized, contributing to the perception of club safety. Evidence that proactive security efforts appear to increase return customers might motivate managers to implement better security policies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

  17. The Citizen Science Program "H2O SOS: Help Heal the Ocean—Student Operated Solutions: Operation Climate Change" teaches middle and high school students about ocean threats related to climate change through hands-on activities and learning experiences in the field. This is a continuation of the Program presented last year at the Poster Session.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weiss, N. K.; Wood, J. H.

    2017-12-01

    TThe Citizen Science Program H2O SOS: Help Heal the Ocean—Student Operated Solutions: Operation Climate Change, teaches middle and high school students about ocean threats related to climate change through hands-on activities and learning experiences in the field. During each session (in-class or after-school as a club), students build an understanding about how climate change impacts our oceans using resources provided by ExplorOcean (hands-on activities, presentations, multi-media). Through a student leadership model, students present lessons to each other, interweaving a deep learning of science, 21st century technology, communication skills, and leadership. After participating in learning experiences and activities related to 6 key climate change concepts: 1) Introduction to climate change, 2) Increased sea temperatures, 3) Ocean acidification, 4) Sea level rise, 5) Feedback mechanisms, and 6) Innovative solutions. H2O SOS- Operation Climate change participants select one focus issue and use it to design a multi-pronged campaign to increase awareness about this issue in their local community. The campaign includes social media, an interactive activity, and a visual component. All participating clubs that meet participation and action goals earn a field trip to Ocean Quest where they dive deeper into their selected issue through hands-on activities, real-world investigations, and interviews or presentations with experts. In addition to self-selected opportunities to showcase their focus issue, teams will participate in one of several key events identified by Ocean Quest.

  18. Keys To The Kansas Environment. 4-H School Enrichment Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kansas State Univ., Manhattan. Extension Service.

    The 4-H Club packet for preschool and elementary school children contains nine "keys", or short learning exercises, designed to enrich science and environmental education both in and out of the classroom. Each "key" includes the purpose of the activity, the intended audience, the best time of the year for the activity,…

  19. A Qualitative Evaluation of Holiday Breakfast Clubs in the UK: Views of Adult Attendees, Children, and Staff.

    PubMed

    Defeyter, Margaret Anne; Graham, Pamela Louise; Prince, Kate

    2015-01-01

    Across the UK, 1.3 million children access free school meals for around 38 weeks of the year. However, during school holidays, many families face considerable difficulties in providing a consistent and nutritious supply of food for their children, particularly during the extended summer break. In an effort to address this issue, a number of community-based breakfast clubs were set-up across the North West of England and in Northern Ireland where people could access a free breakfast meal during the summer holidays. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 17 children, 18 adult attendees, and 15 breakfast club staff to determine the uses and impacts associated with holiday breakfast club participation and to investigate potential areas for future development of holiday food provision. Findings highlighted a need for holiday food provision and revealed a multitude of nutritional, social, and financial benefits for those who accessed holiday breakfast clubs. Areas for further development and investigation are discussed in addition to implications for UK food and educational policies.

  20. A Qualitative Evaluation of Holiday Breakfast Clubs in the UK: Views of Adult Attendees, Children, and Staff

    PubMed Central

    Defeyter, Margaret Anne; Graham, Pamela Louise; Prince, Kate

    2015-01-01

    Across the UK, 1.3 million children access free school meals for around 38 weeks of the year. However, during school holidays, many families face considerable difficulties in providing a consistent and nutritious supply of food for their children, particularly during the extended summer break. In an effort to address this issue, a number of community-based breakfast clubs were set-up across the North West of England and in Northern Ireland where people could access a free breakfast meal during the summer holidays. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 17 children, 18 adult attendees, and 15 breakfast club staff to determine the uses and impacts associated with holiday breakfast club participation and to investigate potential areas for future development of holiday food provision. Findings highlighted a need for holiday food provision and revealed a multitude of nutritional, social, and financial benefits for those who accessed holiday breakfast clubs. Areas for further development and investigation are discussed in addition to implications for UK food and educational policies. PMID:26322303

  1. The successful journal club.

    PubMed

    Stapleton, John J

    2007-01-01

    Journal club is a structured meeting that is required at a residency program, which is designated to train residents in the necessary skills to evaluate and apply scientific literature critically to clinical decision making. A successful journal club is one in which residents develop competency in evaluating the scientific literature for evidence-based answers that can be applied to clinical questions. The objective in establishing a successful journal club is to build a forum for residents to formulate answers to their clinical questions through the development of essential critical appraisal skills. This article discusses the setting, format, content, and purpose of a successful journal club.

  2. Using Book Clubs to Enhance Social-Emotional and Academic Learning with Urban Adolescent Females of Color

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Polleck, Jody N.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to elucidate how book clubs can be used as a forum to enhance students' social-emotional and academic learning. The author conducted a study in a small urban high school with 2 different book clubs: The younger group consisted of 2 African American 9th graders, 2 Latina 9th graders, and 1 African American 10th…

  3. Outreach and Astronomy-Education Activities of the University of Arizona Astronomy Club

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGraw, Allison M.; Hardegree-Ullman, K.; Walker-LaFollette, A.; Towner, A. P.

    2014-01-01

    The University of Arizona Astronomy Club provides unique outreach experiences for all ages. Our undergraduates work together to volunteer their time for various types of outreach events. This club uses several techniques to execute astronomy education such as hands-on 3D models, exciting demonstrations of scientific phenomena, and multiple small telescopes for both solar and night-time viewing. The students bring the models and telescopes to locations both on and off campus; from dark sky locations in the desert southwest to elementary schools, our undergraduates are willing to teach astronomy just about anywhere.

  4. Night club patrons who feel safe will return: Evidence to encourage management to address club violence

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Mark B.; Voas, Robert; Miller, Brenda A.; Byrnes, Hilary; Bourdeau, Beth

    2017-01-01

    Introduction There is substantial evidence that heavy drinking is associated with aggression and violence. Most managers of drinking establishments are required to maintain a security staff to deal with disruptive patrons who threaten an organization’s business or legal status. However, managers may focus little on minor instances of aggression even though these may escalate into more serious events. We hypothesize that proactive security efforts may positively affect patron’s perceptions of nighttime safety and influence their decisions to return to the club, thereby affecting the club’s bottom line. Method Data for this study were collected from entry and exit surveys with 1,714 attendees at 70 electronic music dance events at 10 clubs in the San Francisco Bay Area (2010–2012). Participants were asked to report on observations and experiences with aggressive behavior while in the club, their overall perception of club safety, and their plans to return to the same club in the next 30 days. Mediational multiple regression analysis was used to relate observations of club security to perceptions of personal safety and plans to return to the club. Results Reported observations of an active club security staff were positively related to perceptions of personal safety. Safety perceptions, in turn, were significantly related to plans to return to the club. The indirect path between perceptions of security and plans to return was significant as well. Conclusions The results suggest that an active security presence inside clubs can encourage club attendance by providing an environment where minor altercations are minimized, contributing to the perception of club safety. Practical Applications Evidence that proactive security efforts appear to increase return customers might motivate managers to implement better security policies. PMID:26875162

  5. Teaching evidence based medicine to surgery residents-is journal club the best format? A systematic review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Ahmadi, Negar; McKenzie, Margaret E; Maclean, Anthony; Brown, Carl J; Mastracci, Tara; McLeod, Robin S

    2012-01-01

    Systematic reviews were performed to assess methods of teaching the evidence-based medicine (EBM) process and determine which format or what components of journal club appear to be most effective in teaching critical appraisal skills to surgical residents and have the highest user satisfaction. MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, AMED, PsychINFO, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google scholar were searched to identify relevant articles. To be included, studies had to provide details about the format of their EBM curriculum or journal club and report on the effectiveness or participant satisfaction. Potentially relevant articles were independently reviewed by 2 authors and data were extracted on separate data forms. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria for assessment of teaching EBM and 8 studies (including 3 in the EBM systematic review) met criteria for assessment of journal club format. Overall, study quality was poor. Only 2 studies were randomized controlled trials. Five were before-after studies, which showed significant improvement in critical appraisal skills or statistical knowledge following an EBM course or journal club. The 2 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) compared teaching EBM or critical appraisal skills in lecture format or journal club to online learning. There was no significant difference in mean scores in 1 study whereas the other reported significantly better scores in the journal club format. Four studies reported high participant satisfaction with the EBM course or journal club format. There is some evidence that courses with or without the addition of journal clubs lead to improved knowledge of the EBM process although the impact on patient care is unknown. Journal clubs seem to be the preferred way of teaching critical appraisal skills but while some components of journal clubs are favored by participants, it remains unclear which elements are most important for resident learning. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in

  6. Teens, Crime, and the Community in Boys & Girls Clubs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlson, Andrea

    Teens, Crime, and the Community (TCC) curriculum creates an awareness among teens of the crime problems facing our communities and how they affect our nation. It encourages youth to take responsibility for reducing crime and victimization, making schools and neighborhoods safer. Boys and Girls Clubs offer a variety of programs for youth, and TCC…

  7. Tracking Club Sport Participation from Childhood to Early Adulthood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richards, Rosalina; Williams, Sheila; Poulton, Richie; Reeder, Anthony I.

    2007-01-01

    This study examined the strength of tracking sport participation from childhood to early adulthood among the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study cohort. Participation in sport, dance, or gymnastics as part of a club or group (outside of school) was assessed at ages 7, 9, 15, 18, and 21 years. In addition to the traditionally…

  8. The Irish brawn drain: English League clubs and Irish footballers, 1946-1995.

    PubMed

    McGovern, P

    2000-09-01

    This paper draws on world systems and resource dependency theories to show how the changing recruitment practices of English League clubs have deepened the brawn drain from Irish football, thereby compounding its underdevelopment. An analysis of the origins, method of recruitment and destinations of Irish players (North and South) who appeared in the English League between 1946 and 1995 shows that English clubs imported large numbers of Irish players throughout the second half of the twentieth century. However, it was the inclusion of Irish teenagers within the youth policies of the largest clubs in the period after the 1970s that marked a break from the traditional pattern of buyer-supplier relations. Instead of continuing to purchase players who had established reputations within the Irish leagues, English clubs began to hire the most promising schoolboys before they joined Irish sides. As this practice spread, it eventually eliminated a valuable source of income: the selling of players to English clubs. Despite this development it would, however, be inappropriate to view the relationship between the Irish and English football industries as a simple zero sum game as Irish clubs benefit from employing highly trained young players who return home after failing to establish careers in England.

  9. Student Experience of School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shirazi, Shaista

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents the findings of a two-phase mixed methods research study that explores the link between experiences of school science of post-16 students and their decisions to take up science for their higher studies. In the first phase, students aged 16-17 (n = 569) reflected on the past five years of their school science experience in a…

  10. Re-Engaging 'Youth at Risk' of Disengaging from Schooling through Rugby League Club Partnership: Unpacking the Pedagogic Practices of the Titans Learning Centre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whatman, Susan L.; Main, Katherine

    2018-01-01

    The youth learning re-engagement program known as the Titans Learning Centre (or TLC) is an approved alternative schooling program, developed in partnership with state education and a local National Rugby League (NRL) club, the 'Titans'. Students typically in Grade Three or Four complete a 10 week program, interacting with professional A grade NRL…

  11. Towards a pragmatic science in schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Segal, Gilda

    1997-06-01

    This paper contrasts naive beliefs about the nature of science, with science as it appears from sociological and philosophical study, feminist critique and insights from multicultural education. I draw implications from these informed views to suggest how school science might be modified to project a pragmatic view of science to its students that allows students to know science and its relationships to themselves and society in multi-faceted ways. From these perspectives, pragmatic school science is situated within a values framework that questions how we know. Pragmatic school science also requires that the naive inductivist views that permeate school science inquiry methods at present be modified to recognise that observations and inquiry are guided by prior knowledge and values; that new knowledge is tentative; that some knowledge has high status, as it has been constructed consensually over a long period; but that even high status knowledge can be challenged. For implementation of these reforms, yet still to embrace the need for some students to appropriate understanding of discipline knowledge required for advanced science education, a broad set of aims is required.

  12. Differentiating Science Instruction: Success Stories of High School Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maeng, Jennifer Lynn Cunningham

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the characteristics and practices of high school science teachers who differentiate instruction. Specifically teachers' beliefs about science teaching and student learning and how they planned for and implemented differentiated instruction in their classrooms were explored. Understanding how high school science teachers…

  13. National Science Resources Center Project for Improving Science Teaching in Elementary Schools. Appendix A. School Systems With Exemplary Elementary Science Programs. Appendix B. Elementary Science Network

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-12-01

    Department Campbell, Judy S., Principal Seedling Mile Elementary School Campbell, Kelly, Vice President International Services, Inc. Campbell, Larry...Agency #5 Coverdale, Miles , Principal Baxter Coveyou, Tony, Cowan, Ann, Education Specialist Hanford Science Center Cowan, Margaret, Cowan, Peggy...Science State Department of Education Ezell, James, No. 92 Elementary School Ezzell , Effie, No. 45 Elementary School 09/03/88 NSRC Elementary Science

  14. Girls Who Code Club | College of Engineering & Applied Science

    Science.gov Websites

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z D2L PAWS Email My UW-System About UWM UWM Jobs D2L PAWS Email My UW-System University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College ofEngineering & Olympiad Girls Who Code Club FIRST Tech Challenge NSF I-Corps Site of Southeastern Wisconsin UW-Milwaukee

  15. Mars Rover Model Celebration: Developing Inquiry Based Lesson Plans to Teach Planetary Science In Elementary And Middle School

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bering, E. A.; Slagle, E.; Nieser, K.; Carlson, C.; Kapral, A.; Dominey, W.; Ramsey, J.; Konstantinidis, I.; James, J.; Sweaney, S.; Mendez, R.

    2012-12-01

    The recent NASA Mars Rover missions capture the imagination of children, as NASA missions have done for decades. The University of Houston is in the process of developing a prototype of a flexible program that offers children an in-depth educational experience culminating in the design and construction of their own model rover. The existing prototype program is called the Mars Rover Model Celebration. It focuses on students, teachers and parents in grades 3-8. Students will design and build a model of a Mars rover to carry out a student selected science mission on the surface of Mars. The model will be a mock-up, constructed at a minimal cost from art supplies. The students will build the models as part of a project on Mars. The students will be given design criteria for a rover and will do basic research on Mars that will determine the objectives and features of their rover. This project may be used either informally as an after school club or youth group activity or formally as part of a class studying general science, earth science, solar system astronomy or robotics, or as a multi-disciplinary unit for a gifted and talented program. The project's unique strength lies in engaging students in the process of spacecraft design and interesting them in aerospace engineering careers. The project is aimed at elementary and secondary education. Not only will these students learn about scientific fields relevant to the mission (space science, physics, geology, robotics, and more), they will gain an appreciation for how this knowledge is used to tackle complex problems. The low cost of the event makes it an ideal enrichment vehicle for low income schools. It provides activities that provide professional development to educators, curricular support resources using NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) content, and provides family opportunities for involvement in K-12 student learning. This paper will describe the development of a detailed set of new 5E lesson plans to

  16. After-School Spaces: Looking for Learning in All the Right Places

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schnittka, Christine G.; Evans, Michael A.; Won, Samantha G. L.; Drape, Tiffany A.

    2016-06-01

    After-school settings provide youth with homework support, social outlets and fun activities, and help build self-confidence. They are safe places for forming relationships with caring adults. More after-school settings are starting to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) topics. What science skills and concepts might youth learn in engineering design-based after-school settings? Traditional assessments often fail to capture the ways youth learn in informal settings, and deep science understandings are notoriously difficult to measure. In this study, we examined three after-school settings where 65 youth were learning science through engineering design challenges. In this informal setting, we examined storyboards, social networking forum (SNF) chat logs, videos of whole-class interactions, interviews with groups and single participants, and traditional multiple-choice pre- and posttest results. As we looked for evidence of learning, we found that the social networking forum was rich with data. Interviews were even more informative, much more so than traditional pencil and paper multiple-choice tests. We found that different kinds of elicitation strategies adopted by site leaders and facilitators played an important role in the ways youth constructed knowledge. These elicitation strategies also helped us find evidence of learning. Based on findings, future iterations of the curricula will involve tighter integration of social networking forums, continued use of videotaped interviews for data collection, an increased focus on training site leaders and facilitators in elicitation strategies, and more open-ended pencil and paper assessments in order to facilitate the process of looking for learning.

  17. [Relationship Between Members Satisfaction with Service Club Management Processes and Perception of Club Management System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dawson, Frances Trigg

    A study was made to determine the relationships between (1) satisfaction of members with service club management processes and member's perception of management systems, (2) perception of service club management system to selected independent variables, and (3) satisfaction to perception of service club management systems with independent…

  18. Undergraduate Journal Club as an Intervention to Improve Student Development in Applying the Scientific Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandefur, Conner I.; Gordy, Claire

    2016-01-01

    We developed and implemented a series of workshops and seminars in an undergraduate journal club targeted at improving student development in applying the scientific process. Students were surveyed before and after participating in the club about their confidence in accessing, analyzing, and reporting scientific research. Post-club, the students…

  19. Alcohol management practices in community football clubs: Association with risky drinking at the club and overall hazardous alcohol consumption.

    PubMed

    Rowland, Bosco; Tindall, Jenny; Wolfenden, Luke; Gillham, Karen; Ramsden, Robyn; Wiggers, John

    2015-07-01

    Across the world, it has been estimated that approximately 270 million people participate in community football clubs. However, the community sports club setting is associated with high levels of risky alcohol consumption. The study examined if sporting club alcohol management practices are associated with risky consumption of alcohol by club members while at the club, and also whether such consumption is directly and indirectly associated with club member overall hazardous alcohol consumption. Telephone surveys were conducted with a representative from 72 community football clubs in New South Wales, Australia, and 1428 club members. A path and mediation analysis was undertaken to determine the association between 11 club alcohol management practices and member alcohol consumption, at the club and overall hazardous consumption. Three alcohol management practices were associated with an increased probability of risky drinking while at the club: having alcohol promotions; serving intoxicated patrons; and having bar open longer than 4 h. A mediation analyses identified that risky drinking at the club as a result of these three practices was also linked to increase risk in being an overall hazardous drinker. Modifying alcohol management practices in community football clubs has the potential to reduce both risky alcohol consumption by members in this setting and the prevalence of overall hazardous alcohol consumption. Coordinated, multi-strategic interventions are required to support community football clubs to modify their alcohol management practices and hence contribute to reducing the burden of alcohol-related harm in the community. © 2014 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  20. High school science fair and research integrity

    PubMed Central

    Dalley, Simon; Shepherd, Karen; Reisch, Joan

    2017-01-01

    Research misconduct has become an important matter of concern in the scientific community. The extent to which such behavior occurs early in science education has received little attention. In the current study, using the web-based data collection program REDCap, we obtained responses to an anonymous and voluntary survey about science fair from 65 high school students who recently competed in the Dallas Regional Science and Engineering Fair and from 237 STEM-track, post-high school students (undergraduates, 1st year medical students, and 1st year biomedical graduate students) doing research at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Of the post-high school students, 24% had competed in science fair during their high school education. Science fair experience was similar overall for the local cohort of Dallas regional students and the more diverse state/national cohort of post-high school students. Only one student out of 122 reported research misconduct, in his case making up the data. Unexpectedly, post-high school students who did not participate in science fair anticipated that carrying out science fair would be much more difficult than actually was the case, and 22% of the post-high school students anticipated that science fair participants would resort to research misconduct to overcome obstacles. No gender-based differences between students’ science fair experiences or expectations were evident. PMID:28328976

  1. High school science fair and research integrity.

    PubMed

    Grinnell, Frederick; Dalley, Simon; Shepherd, Karen; Reisch, Joan

    2017-01-01

    Research misconduct has become an important matter of concern in the scientific community. The extent to which such behavior occurs early in science education has received little attention. In the current study, using the web-based data collection program REDCap, we obtained responses to an anonymous and voluntary survey about science fair from 65 high school students who recently competed in the Dallas Regional Science and Engineering Fair and from 237 STEM-track, post-high school students (undergraduates, 1st year medical students, and 1st year biomedical graduate students) doing research at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Of the post-high school students, 24% had competed in science fair during their high school education. Science fair experience was similar overall for the local cohort of Dallas regional students and the more diverse state/national cohort of post-high school students. Only one student out of 122 reported research misconduct, in his case making up the data. Unexpectedly, post-high school students who did not participate in science fair anticipated that carrying out science fair would be much more difficult than actually was the case, and 22% of the post-high school students anticipated that science fair participants would resort to research misconduct to overcome obstacles. No gender-based differences between students' science fair experiences or expectations were evident.

  2. Multimodal Learning Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Casey, Heather

    2012-01-01

    Multimodal learning clubs link principles of motivation and engagement with 21st century technological tools and texts to support content area learning. The author describes how a sixth grade health teacher and his class incorporated multimodal learning clubs into a unit of study on human body systems. The students worked collaboratively online…

  3. A Collaborative Children's Literature Book Club for Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scheffel, Tara-Lynn; Cameron, Claire; Dolmage, Lindsay; Johnston, Madisen; Lapensee, Jemanica; Solymar, Kirsten; Speedie, Emily; Wills, Meagan

    2018-01-01

    This paper highlights the two-year journey of an extra-curricular book club for teacher candidates as they explored children's literature in order to further their teaching practice. Initial themes were confirmed and refined as the journey of the book club concluded after two years. A sociocultural theoretical framework guided this work and…

  4. The Impact of Boys & Girls Club/Keystone Club Participation on Alumni

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swigert, Tami; Boyd, Barry L.

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the impact of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGC), and its Keystone Club (KC) component, on the leadership and citizenship development of its alumni. 14 alumni were interviewed using a structured interview technique. The constant comparative method was utilized to identify leadership traits and skills that alumni…

  5. Partnerships that Build Understanding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frasier, James R.

    2007-01-01

    The involvement of high school students with disabilities in after-school and cocurricular activities declined nationwide between 2001 and 2006 (Institute of Education Sciences, n.d.). The Partners Club at East Anchorage High School in Alaska, however, is an example of how such activities can support relationships between nondisabled students and…

  6. The Pedometer as a Tool to Enrich Science Learning in a Public Health Context

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rye, James A.; Zizzi, Samuel J.; Vitullo, Elizabeth A.; Tompkins, Nancy O'hara

    2005-12-01

    The United States is experiencing an obesity epidemic: A science-technology-society public health issue tied to our built environment, which is characterized by heavy dependence on automobiles and reduced opportunities to walk and bicycle for transportation. This presents an informal science education opportunity within "science in personal and social perspectives'' to use pedometer technology for enhancing students' understandings about human energy balance. An exploratory study was conducted with 29 teachers to investigate how pedometers could be used for providing academic enrichment to secondary students participating in after-school Health Sciences and Technology Academy clubs. Frequency analysis revealed that the pedometer activities often investigated kilocalorie expenditure and/or incorporated hypothesis testing/experimenting. Teachers' perspectives on learning outcomes most frequently conveyed that students increased their awareness of the importance of health habits relative to kilocalorie intake and expenditure. Pedometers have considerable merit for the regular science curriculum as they allow for numerous mathematics applications and inquiry learning and target concepts such as energy and equilibrium that cut across the National Science Education Standards. Pedometers and associated resources on human energy balance are important tools that science teachers can employ in helping schools respond to the national call to prevent childhood obesity.

  7. Youth Clubs as Spaces of Non-Formal Learning: Professional Idealism Meets the Spatiality Experienced by Young People in Finland

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kiilakoski, Tomi; Kivijärvi, Antti

    2015-01-01

    For many young people, youth clubs constitute a key instrument for learning outside the school curriculum. In this article, we scrutinise Finnish youth clubs empirically as spaces of non-formal learning from the perspectives of both professional youth workers and young people themselves. We propose that youth workers tend to present an educational…

  8. Planet Activism: Students Further Their Environmental Passions through Clubs and Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fernandez, Kim

    2010-01-01

    Community colleges across the country have reported waves of student environmentalists committed to "greening" their schools through student-faculty partnerships, environmental clubs, honor-society projects, and other means. From trash dumps and recycling sorting to educational campaigns born from the construction of greener academic buildings,…

  9. Impact of Science Tutoring on African Americans' Science Scores on the High School Students' Graduation Examination

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, Edward

    This study investigated the relationship between an after-school tutorial program for African American high school students at a Title I school and scores on the science portion of the High School Graduation Examination (HSGE). Passing the examination was required for graduation. The target high school is 99% African American and the passing rate of the target high school was 42%---lower than the state average of 76%. The purpose of the study was to identify (a) the relationship between a science tutorial program and scores on the science portion of the HSGE, (b) the predictors of tutoring need by analyzing the relationship between biology grades and scores on the science portion of the HSGE, and (c) the findings between biology grades and scores on the science portion of the HSGE by analyzing the relationship between tutorial attendance and HSGE scores. The study was based on Piaget's cognitive constructivism, which implied the potential benefits of tutorials on high-stakes testing. This study used a 1-group pretest-posttest, quantitative methodology. Results showed a significant relationship between tutoring and scores on the biology portion of the HSGE. Results found no significant relationship between the tutorial attendance and the scores on the biology portion of the HSGE or between the biology grades and scores on the biology portion of the HSGE before tutoring. It has implications for positive social change by providing educational stakeholders with empirically-based guidance in determining the potential benefit of tutorial intervention strategies on high school graduation examination scores.

  10. Associations between school-level environment and science classroom environment in secondary schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dorman, Jeffrey P.; Fraser, Barry J.; McRobbie, Campbell J.

    1995-09-01

    This article describes a study of links between school environment and science classroom environment. Instruments to assess seven dimensions of school environment (viz., Empowerment, Student Support, Affiliation, Professional Interest, Mission Consensus, Resource Adequacy and Work Pressure) and seven dimensions of classroom environment (viz., Student Affiliation, Interactions, Cooperation, Task Orientation, Order & Organisation, Individualisati n and Teacher Control) in secondary school science classrooms were developed and validated. The study involved a sample of 1,318 students in 64 year 9 and year 12 science classes and 128 teachers of science in Australian secondary schools. Using the class mean as the unit of analysis for student data, associations between school and classroom environment were investigated using simple, multiple and canonical correlational analyses. In general, results indicated weak relationships between school and classroom environments and they reinforced the view that characteristics of the school environment are not transmitted automatically into science classrooms.

  11. Building on the Success of Increasing Diversity in the Geosciences: A Bridging Program From Middle School to College

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kovacs, T.; Robinson, D.; Suleiman, A.; Maggi, B.

    2004-12-01

    A bridging program to increase the diversity in the geosciences was created at Hampton University (HU) to inspire underrepresented minorities to pursue an educational path that advances them towards careers in the geosciences. Three objectives were met to achieve this goal. First, we inspired a diverse population of middle and high school students outside of the classroom by providing an after school geoscience club, a middle school geoscience summer enrichment camp, and a research/mentorship program for high school students. Second, we helped fill the need for geoscience curriculum content requested of science teachers who work primarily with underrepresented middle school populations by providing a professional development workshop at HU led by geoscience professors, teachers, and science educators. Third, we built on the successful atmospheric sciences research and active Ph.D. program by developing our geoscience curriculum including the formation of a new space, earth, and atmospheric sciences minor. All workshops, camps, and clubs have been full or nearly full each year despite restrictions on participants repeating any of the programs. The new minor has 11 registered undergraduates and the total number of students in these classes has been increasing. Participants of all programs gave the quality of the program good ratings and participant perceptions and knowledge improved throughout the programs based on pre-, formative, and summative assessments. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of degrees granted to underrepresented minorities in the geosciences. We have built a solid foundation with our minor that prepares students for graduate degrees in the geosciences and offer a graduate degree in physics with a concentration in the atmospheric sciences. However, it's from the geoscience pipeline that students will come into our academic programs. We expect to continue to develop these formal and informal education programs to increase our reputation and

  12. Research Experiences for Science Teachers: The Impact On Their Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubner, J.

    2005-12-01

    Deficiencies in science preparedness of United States high school students were recognized more than two decades ago, as were some of their underlying causes. Among the primary causes are the remoteness of the language, tools, and concepts of science from the daily experiences of teachers and students, and the long-standing national shortage of appropriately prepared science teachers. Secondary school science teachers are challenged each school year by constantly changing content, new technologies, and increasing demands for standards-based instruction. A major deficiency in the education of science teachers was their lack of experience with the practice of science, and with practicing scientists. Providing teachers with opportunities to gain hands-on experience with the tools and materials of science under the guidance and mentorship of leading scientists in an environment attuned to professional development, would have many beneficial effects. They would improve teachers' understanding of science and their ability to develop and lead inquiry- and standards-based science classes and laboratories. They would enable them to communicate the vitality and dynamism of science to their students and to other teachers. They would enhance their ability to motivate and guide students. From its inception, Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teacher's goal has been to enhance interest and improve performance in science of students in New York City area schools. The program seeks to achieve this goal by increasing the professional competence of teachers. Our ongoing program evaluation shows that following completion of the program, the teachers implement more inquiry-based classroom and laboratory exercises, increase utilization of Internet resources, motivate students to participate in after school science clubs and Intel-type science projects; and create opportunities for students to investigate an area of science in greater depth and for longer periods

  13. The Clubbers' Guide: "Be Inspired, Inspire Others"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Liz

    2012-01-01

    "Be inspired, inspire others" is this author's school motto and also something she aims to achieve by running the Science Club at The Warwick School in Redhill, Surrey, UK, an 11-16 specialist technology comprehensive. The Science Club is part of an extensive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programme that has…

  14. Constitutional Law--State Action--Golden v. Biscayne Bay Yacht Club: Preventing Discrimination by Private Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patrick, Michael W.

    1976-01-01

    Although the Supreme Court has refrained from answering whether the membership policies of private clubs can be attacked on state action grounds, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held in the affirmative in Golden v. Biscayne Bay Yacht Club. It ruled that leasing publicly owned bay bottom land to a yacht club constituted sufficient state…

  15. Crumpled Molecules and Edible Plastic: Science Learning Activation in Out-of-School Time

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dorph, Rena; Schunn, Christian D.; Crowley, Kevin

    2017-01-01

    The Coalition for Science After School highlights the dual nature of outcomes for science learning during out-of- school time (OST): Learning experiences should not only be positive in the moment, but also position youth for future success. Several frameworks speak to the first set of immediate outcomes--what youth learn, think, and feel as the…

  16. Memories of GAMES: Exploring the Long-Term Impacts of After-School Museum Programming on Girls' Attitudes Towards Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Snow, Sarah Elizabeth

    The purpose of this study is to investigate any lasting impacts of the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History's Girls at the Museum Exploring Science (GAMES) Program. Using assessment document analysis, student focus groups, and adult interviews, this study examined whether students' positive associations with science continue after completion of the program and whether the program affects the academic and career choices of past participants. Results from the analysis suggest that GAMES has a generally positive impact on participant attitudes towards science in both the short- and long-term. These results also support existing research in identifying key factors in the success of the program including hands-on activities, exposure to diverse careers and female role models, and the incorporation of authentic objects and experiences. These factors of success can contribute to the evidence base about the role of informal education programs in increasing science participation among women, as well as ways in which schools and universities can collaborate to effectively serve populations that are traditionally underrepresented in the sciences.

  17. Astronomy in School Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gee, Brian

    1979-01-01

    Presents a report about astronomy education in the United Kingdom. Some of the views about astronomy activities in schools and the importance of teaching astronomy and space science in British schools are included. (HM)

  18. Meteorite Magazine: Promoting Science, Discovery, And Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lebofsky, Larry A.; Lebofsky, N. R.; Sears, H.; Sears, D.

    2006-09-01

    In late 2005, Larry and Nancy Lebofsky and Derek and Hazel Sears took over the editing and publishing of Meteorite magazine. We saw a great educational potential for the magazine. With a circulation over 600, the magazine reaches a broad readership: meteorite scientists, hunters, collectors, and enthusiasts. Unlike the professional journal of the Meteoritical Society, Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences, the articles in Meteorite range from scientific articles, reports from meteorite shows, and how to preserve meteorites to stories about searching for meteorites around the world. Meteorites are of interest to people. Asteroids, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites are in many states' science standards. Yet, how many museums have meteorite collections with staff who know little about them? How many amateur astronomers, when seeing meteors or meteor showers, can explain how asteroids, comets, meteors, and meteorites are related and what they tell us about the formation of our Solar System? How many meteorite collectors are knowledgeable about how these objects are related to each other? How do we reach the broader community? Unlike the hundreds of amateur and school astronomy clubs, there are no meteorite clubs. While one can point out the wonders of the night sky and what can be seen through a telescope at star parties, there is no such thing as school meteorite hunting parties. The meteorite and planetary sciences communities working together can bring the excitement of meteorites and the science behind these fascinating objects to teachers, students, and museum and planetarium staff. We will present ideas for accomplishing this.

  19. Fort Collins High School Wins 28th Colorado High School Science Bowl | News

    Science.gov Websites

    physics, math, biology, energy, chemistry, and earth and space sciences. Cherry Creek High School (Denver | NREL Fort Collins High School Wins 28th Colorado High School Science Bowl News Release: Fort Collins High School Wins 28th Colorado High School Science Bowl Team heading to Washington, D.C., to

  20. Upper Secondary School Physical Science Curricula in New Zealand after the National Qualifications Framework Reforms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vlaardingerbroek, Barend; Taylor, T. G. Neil

    2007-01-01

    The recent structural reforms in New Zealand education have given schools and teachers unprecedented freedom in curricular design and delivery. Using official educational award statistics for 2004 and data arising from a study of 23 schools' upper secondary science curricula in the same year, this study represents an early monitoring of the impact…

  1. Neurology Journal Club: a new subsection.

    PubMed

    Millichap, John J; Goldstein, Joshua L

    2011-08-30

    The term "journal club" traditionally refers to a gathering of physicians for the critical review of current medical literature and discussion regarding the clinical application of the results. Since the formation of the first documented journal club over 130 years ago, the organization and purpose of this academic tool has gone through many changes. Despite the advent of "virtual" online journal clubs, most academic departments still employ a physical meeting between trainees and the faculty. The Neurology® Journal Club is a new subsection of the Resident & Fellow Section with the goal of enhancing the traditional journal club experience by publishing examples of structured critical appraisals of medical literature. The Journal Club critiques, written by neurology residents and fellows with faculty supervision, will examine each article for key features of hypothesis and design, methods, results, and interpretation.

  2. STEeM- STEM&eTwinning in my school

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nicolaita, Cristina

    2017-04-01

    My name is Cristina Nicolăiță, I am a teacher of Physics and Computer Science in Gheorghe Magheru School, Caracal, Romania, and a Romanian Scientix&eTwinning ambassador. My poster presents the two eTwinning projects my students are actively involved in, "STEM Club" and "What's the weather like #eTwCitizen2016", with partners mostly from the Mediterranean area. STEM CLUB project focuses on the introductory level STEM activities, as well as awareness of the STEM fields and occupations. This initial step provides standards-based structured inquiry-based and real world problem-based learning, connecting all four of the STEM subjects. Project's basic aims are: 1. increasing student STEM ability, engagement, participation and aspiration 2. increasing teacher capacity and STEM teaching quality 3. supporting STEM education opportunities 4. facilitating effective school partnerships 5. building a strong evidence base 6. improving ICT skills During the second eTwinning project, What's the weather like #eTwCitizen2016", students will investigate weather in our lives, culture and science, in literature (including popular sayings and informative digital literacy), languages, science and Maths( including astronomy, physics, environmental studies) social sciences, religion, art, music, history, psychology (ways of thinking at different weather conditions, feelings related with the weather forecast, careers related to weather, climate change and sustainability).They will use the different intelligences they possess, bringing their contribution to the team work and developing the ability to identify, find, evaluate, and use information effectively.

  3. High School Students' Perceptions of School Science and Science Careers: A Critical Look at a Critical Issue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quinn, Frances; Lyons, Terry

    2011-01-01

    Disproportionate representation of males and females in science courses and careers continues to be of concern. This article explores gender differences in Australian high school students' perceptions of school science and their intentions to study university science courses. Nearly 3800 15-year-old students responded to a range of 5-point Likert…

  4. Methamphetamine Use in Club Subcultures

    PubMed Central

    Kelly, Brian C.; LeClair, Amy; Parsons, Jeffrey T.

    2014-01-01

    In recent decades, methamphetamine developed a peculiar geographic distribution in the United States, with limited diffusion in the Northeast. While use within gay clubs received attention, methamphetamine in club subcultures more broadly remains less clear. Using quantitative and qualitative data, we provide a descriptive assessment of methamphetamine use in club subcultures. Methamphetamine use in club subcultures often has instrumental purposes. The context of initiation into methamphetamine use and its close connection to cocaine shape later patterns of use. Viewing meth solely as a gay party drug misses a significant part of the population and may misguide public health strategies to reduce methamphetamine use in the Northeast. PMID:23848380

  5. The Effect of a Zoo-Based Experiential Academic Science Program on High School Students' Math and Science Achievement and Perceptions of School Climate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mulkerrin, Elizabeth A.

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an 11th-grade and 12th-grade zoo-based academic high school experiential science program compared to a same school-district school-based academic high school experiential science program on students' pretest and posttest science, math, and reading achievement, and student perceptions of program relevance, rigor, and relationships. Science coursework delivery site served as the study's independent variable for the two naturally formed groups representing students (n = 18) who completed a zoo-based experiential academic high school science program and students (n = 18) who completed a school-based experiential academic high school science program. Students in the first group, a zoo-based experiential academic high school science program, completed real world, hands-on projects at the zoo while students in the second group, those students who completed a school-based experiential academic high school science program, completed real world, simulated projects in the classroom. These groups comprised the two research arms of the study. Both groups of students were selected from the same school district. The study's two dependent variables were achievement and school climate. Achievement was analyzed using norm-referenced 11th-grade pretest PLAN and 12th-grade posttest ACT test composite scores. Null hypotheses were rejected in the direction of improved test scores for both science program groups---students who completed the zoo-based experiential academic high school science program (p < .001) and students who completed the school-based experiential academic high school science program (p < .001). The posttest-posttest ACT test composite score comparison was not statistically different ( p = .93) indicating program equipoise for students enrolled in both science programs. No overall weighted grade point average score improvement was observed for students in either science group, however, null hypotheses were

  6. School Science Comes Alive. Phase Three

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hartline, Frederick F.

    1997-01-01

    Phase 3 of the School Science Comes Alive Program (S(sup 2)CAP) created an exciting, science - enrichment experience for third, fourth and fifth graders and their teachers and enhanced the science-teaching skills of teacher teams at each of four participating elementary schools on Virginia's Peninsula. The schools involved enroll a majority of Black students, many of whom are from economically disadvantaged households. Designed to build on the highly successful S(sup 2)CAP program of the preceding two years, this project brought college faculty together with classroom teachers and trained volunteers in a cooperative effort to make a lasting difference in the quality of science education at the four schools. In total, this program touched approximately 1000 the school children, more than half of whom are black, giving them direct and indirect exposure to the spirit of inquiry and adventure of the world-wide science community. In S(sup 2)CAP Phase 3, a large measure of responsibility was placed on the classroom teachers, thus creating a more sustainable partnership between college faculty and grade school teacher. Our college physics professors coached and supported teams of teachers from each school at intensive training workshops. A volunteer program provided each teacher with one or more trained volunteers to assist in class with the hands-on activities that have been central to the S2CAP program. Most of the equipment for these activities was constructed during the workshops by the teachers and volunteers from low cost materials provided by the program. Two types of volunteers were enlisted: science smart black college students and technically trained retirees (many of whom are ex-NASA employees). One goal of this program was to increase the numbers of minority students who see science as an interesting and exciting subject, to make the science period a time which students look forward to in the school day. Such an attitude is expected to translate naturally into

  7. "Space Capers." Texas Reading Club 1982: A Librarian's Planning Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rudd, Peggy Jemelka

    Originally designed as a summer program to be offered through the network of bookmobiles and rural public libraries in the state, the Texas Reading Club is now also promoted year round by school and institutional libraries to encourage young readers and to acquaint them with libraries and their services. A theme, formats and ideas, and basic…

  8. La Vida Robot - High School Engineering Program Combats Engineering Brain Drain

    ScienceCinema

    Cameron, Allan; Lajvardi, Fredi

    2018-05-04

    Carl Hayden High School has built an impressive reputation with its robotics club. At a time when interest in science, math and engineering is declining, the Falcon Robotics club has young people fired up about engineering. Their program in underwater robots (MATE) and FIRST robotics is becoming a national model, not for building robots, but for building engineers. Teachers Fredi Lajvardi and Allan Cameron will present their story (How kids 'from the mean streets of Phoenix took on the best from M.I.T. in the national underwater bot championship' - Wired Magazine, April 2005) and how every student needs the opportunity to 'do real engineering.'

  9. La Vida Robot - High School Engineering Program Combats Engineering Brain Drain

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

    Cameron, Allan; Lajvardi, Fredi

    Carl Hayden High School has built an impressive reputation with its robotics club. At a time when interest in science, math and engineering is declining, the Falcon Robotics club has young people fired up about engineering. Their program in underwater robots (MATE) and FIRST robotics is becoming a national model, not for building robots, but for building engineers. Teachers Fredi Lajvardi and Allan Cameron will present their story (How kids 'from the mean streets of Phoenix took on the best from M.I.T. in the national underwater bot championship' - Wired Magazine, April 2005) and how every student needs the opportunitymore » to 'do real engineering.'« less

  10. Bringing Science Public Outreach to Elementary Schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Miller, Lucas; Speck, A.; Tinnin, A.

    2012-01-01

    Many science "museums” already offer fantastic programs for the general public, and even some aimed at elementary school kids. However, these venues are usually located in large cities and are only occasionally used as tools for enriching science education in public schools. Here we present preliminary work to establish exciting educational enrichment environments for public schools that do not easily have access to such facilities. This program is aimed at motivating children's interest in science beyond what they learn in the classroom setting. In this program, we use the experience and experiments/demonstrations developed at a large science museum (in this case, The St. Louis Science Center) and take them into a local elementary school. At the same time, students from the University of Missouri are getting trained on how to present these outreach materials and work with the local elementary schools. Our pilot study has started with implementation of presentations/demonstrations at Benton Elementary School within the Columbia Public School district, Missouri. The school has recently adopted a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) centered learning system throughout all grade levels (K-5), and is therefore receptive to this effort. We have implemented a program in which we have given a series of scientific demonstrations at each grade level's lunch hour. Further enrichment ideas and plans include: addition demonstrations, hands-on experiments, and question and answer sessions. However, the application of these events would be to compliment the curriculum for the appropriate grade level at that time. The focus of this project is to develop public communications which links science museums, college students and local public schools with an emphasis on encouraging college science majors to share their knowledge and to strengthen their ability to work in a public environment.

  11. Globalization of continuing professional development by journal clubs via microblogging: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Roberts, Matthew John; Perera, Marlon; Lawrentschuk, Nathan; Romanic, Diana; Papa, Nathan; Bolton, Damien

    2015-04-23

    Journal clubs are an essential tool in promoting clinical evidence-based medical education to all medical and allied health professionals. Twitter represents a public, microblogging forum that can facilitate traditional journal club requirements, while also reaching a global audience, and participation for discussion with study authors and colleagues. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the current state of social media-facilitated journal clubs, specifically Twitter, as an example of continuing professional development. A systematic review of literature databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, ERIC via ProQuest) was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search of Twitter, the followers of identified journal clubs, and Symplur was also performed. Demographic and monthly tweet data were extracted from Twitter and Symplur. All manuscripts related to Twitter-based journal clubs were included. Statistical analyses were performed in MS Excel and STATA. From a total of 469 citations, 11 manuscripts were included and referred to five Twitter-based journal clubs (#ALiEMJC, #BlueJC, #ebnjc, #urojc, #meded). A Twitter-based journal club search yielded 34 potential hashtags/accounts, of which 24 were included in the final analysis. The median duration of activity was 11.75 (interquartile range [IQR] 19.9, SD 10.9) months, with 7 now inactive. The median number of followers and participants was 374 (IQR 574) and 157 (IQR 272), respectively. An overall increasing establishment of active Twitter-based journal clubs was observed, resulting in an exponential increase in total cumulative tweets (R(2)=.98), and tweets per month (R(2)=.72). Cumulative tweets for specific journal clubs increased linearly, with @ADC_JC, @EBNursingBMJ, @igsjc, @iurojc, and @NephJC, and showing greatest rate of change, as well as total impressions per month since establishment. An average of two

  12. The Flipped Journal Club

    PubMed Central

    Bounds, Richard; Boone, Stephen

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Educators struggle to develop a journal club format that promotes active participation from all levels of trainees. The explosion of social media compels residencies to incorporate the evaluation and application of these resources into evidence-based practice. We sought to design an innovative “flipped journal club” to achieve greater effectiveness in meeting goals and objectives among residents and faculty. Methods Each journal club is focused on a specific clinical question based on a landmark article, a background article, and a podcast or blog post. With the “flipped” model, residents are assigned to prepare an in-depth discussion of one of these works based on their level of training. At journal club, trainees break into small groups and discuss their assigned readings with faculty facilitation. Following the small-group discussions, all participants convene to summarize key points. In redesigning our journal club, we sought to achieve specific educational outcomes, and improve participant engagement and overall impressions. Results Sixty-one residents at our emergency medicine program participated in the flipped journal club during the 2015–2016 academic year, with supervision by core faculty. Program evaluation for the flipped journal club was performed using an anonymous survey, with response rates of 70% and 56% for residents and faculty, respectively. Overall, 95% of resident respondents and 100% of faculty respondents preferred the flipped format. Conclusion The “flipped journal club” hinges upon well-selected articles, incorporation of social media, and small-group discussions. This format engages all residents, holds learners accountable, and encourages greater participation among residents and faculty. PMID:29383052

  13. Motivating Students with Authentic Science Experiences: Changes in Motivation for School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hellgren, Jenny M.; Lindberg, Stina

    2017-01-01

    Background: Students' motivation for science declines over the early teenage years, and students often find school science difficult and irrelevant to their everyday lives. This paper asks whether creating opportunities to connect school science to authentic science can have positive effects on student motivation. Purpose: To understand how…

  14. Urban schools' teachers enacting project-based science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tal, Tali; Krajcik, Joseph S.; Blumenfeld, Phyllis C.

    2006-09-01

    What teaching practices foster inquiry and promote students to learn challenging subject matter in urban schools? Inquiry-based instruction and successful inquiry learning and teaching in project-based science (PBS) were described in previous studies (Brown & Campione, [1990]; Crawford, [1999]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, Bass, & Fredricks, [1998]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, & Solloway, [1994]; Minstrell & van Zee, [2000]). In this article, we describe the characteristics of inquiry teaching practices that promote student learning in urban schools. Teaching is a major factor that affects both achievement of and attitude of students toward science (Tamir, [1998]). Our involvement in reform in a large urban district includes the development of suitable learning materials and providing continuous and practiced-based professional development (Fishman & Davis, in press; van Es, Reiser, Matese, & Gomez, [2002]). Urban schools face particular challenges when enacting inquiry-based teaching practices like those espoused in PBS. In this article, we describe two case studies of urban teachers whose students achieved high gains on pre- and posttests and who demonstrated a great deal of preparedness and commitment to their students. Teachers' attempts to help their students to perform well are described and analyzed. The teachers we discuss work in a school district that strives to bring about reform in mathematics and science through systemic reform. The Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools (LeTUS) collaborates with the Detroit Public Schools to bring about reform in middle-school science. Through this collaboration, diverse populations of urban-school students learn science through inquiry-oriented projects and the use of various educational learning technologies. For inquiry-based science to succeed in urban schools, teachers must play an important role in enacting the curriculum while addressing the unique needs of students. The aim of this article is to

  15. High school science enrollment of black students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goggins, Ellen O.; Lindbeck, Joy S.

    How can the high school science enrollment of black students be increased? School and home counseling and classroom procedures could benefit from variables identified as predictors of science enrollment. The problem in this study was to identify a set of variables which characterize science course enrollment by black secondary students. The population consisted of a subsample of 3963 black high school seniors from The High School and Beyond 1980 Base-Year Survey. Using multiple linear regression, backward regression, and correlation analyses, the US Census regions and grades mostly As and Bs in English were found to be significant predictors of the number of science courses scheduled by black seniors.

  16. Junior High School Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brinson, Gail; And Others

    Science instruction is the topic of this guide developed for the junior high schools of Duval County, Jacksonville, Florida. The subjects covered are (1) Biology I, Advanced, for grades 9-12; (2) Earth/Physical Science, Advanced, for advanced 8th graders; (3) Earth/Physical Science, Advanced (Field Test), for advanced 8th graders; (4) Earth…

  17. Brief report: Moving prevention into schools: The impact of a trauma-informed school-based intervention.

    PubMed

    Mendelson, Tamar; Tandon, S Darius; O'Brennan, Lindsey; Leaf, Philip J; Ialongo, Nicholas S

    2015-08-01

    Adolescents in disadvantaged communities have high rates of exposure to stress and trauma, which can negatively impact emotion regulation and executive functioning, increasing likelihood of school problems. This pilot study evaluated RAP Club, a 12-session school-based trauma-informed group intervention co-facilitated by a mental health counselor and young adult community member that utilizes evidence-based cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness strategies. Seventh and eighth graders at two urban public schools serving low-income communities were assigned to receive RAP Club (n = 29) or regular school programming (n = 20). RAP Club improved teacher-rated emotion regulation, social and academic competence, classroom behavior, and discipline. Higher program dose predicted improvements in several teacher-rated outcomes. Student self-report outcomes, however, did not vary by study group or dose. Even students with low baseline depression showed improvement in teacher-rated outcomes following program participation, supporting a model of universal program delivery to all students. Findings suggest RAP Club merits further study. Copyright © 2015 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. After-School Programs and Academic Impact: A Study of Chicago's After School Matters

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goerge, Robert; Cusick, Gretchen R.; Wasserman, Miriam; Gladden, Matthew

    2007-01-01

    After-school programs for adolescents may be a way to promote positive youth development, and thus, it is important to understand what impact after-school programs can have on the educational achievement of high school students. Chicago's After School Matters (ASM) program offers an exceptional opportunity to study whether an after-school program…

  19. Evaluation of an international doctoral educational program in space life sciences: The Helmholtz Space Life Sciences Research School (SpaceLife) in Germany

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hellweg, C. E.; Spitta, L. F.; Kopp, K.; Schmitz, C.; Reitz, G.; Gerzer, R.

    2016-01-01

    Training young researchers in the field of space life sciences is essential to vitalize the future of spaceflight. In 2009, the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine established the Helmholtz Space Life Sciences Research School (SpaceLife) in cooperation with several universities, starting with 22 doctoral candidates. SpaceLife offered an intensive three-year training program for early-stage researchers from different fields (biology, biomedicine, biomedical engineering, physics, sports, nutrition, plant and space sciences). The candidates passed a multistep selection procedure with a written application, a self-presentation to a selection committee, and an interview with the prospective supervisors. The selected candidates from Germany as well as from abroad attended a curriculum taught in English. An overview of space life sciences was given in a workshop with introductory lectures on space radiation biology and dosimetry, space physiology, gravitational biology and astrobiology. The yearly Doctoral Students' Workshops were also interdisciplinary. During the first Doctoral Students' Workshop, every candidate presented his/her research topic including hypothesis and methods to be applied. The progress report was due after ∼1.5 years and a final report after ∼3 years. The candidates specialized in their subfield in advanced lectures, Journal Clubs, practical trainings, lab exchanges and elective courses. The students attended at least one transferable skills course per year, starting with a Research Skills Development course in the first year, a presentation and writing skills course in the second year, and a career and leadership course in the third year. The whole program encompassed 303 h and was complemented by active conference participation. In this paper, the six years' experience with this program is summarized in order to guide other institutions in establishment of structured Ph.D. programs in this field. The curriculum including elective courses is

  20. Outside school time: an examination of science achievement and non-cognitive characteristics of 15-year olds in several countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suter, Larry E.

    2016-03-01

    Elementary and secondary students spend more hours outside of class than in formal school and thus have more time for interaction with everyday science. However, evidence from a large international survey, Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) (OECD 2012), found a negative relationship between number of hours attending after-school science and science assessment scores in many countries, raising questions about why. The secondary analysis of the 2006, 2009, and 2012 PISA surveys found that in most Western countries the longer students attended after-school science programs (in a typical week), the lower their PISA standardized science test score, but the higher their positive attitudes toward future science careers, interest in science, and self-confidence in science. Several potential hypotheses for this relationship are examined and rejected. Further analysis of a causal relationship between frequent attendance in after-school programs and student achievement and attitudes should clearly identify the content of the program so that the analysis could distinguish experiences closely related to regular school curricula from the informal science activities that are not. A new analysis also should include carefully designed longitudinal surveys to test the effectiveness of informal experiences on later life choices in career and study. Revision of a Paper prepared for AERA meetings in Chicago, 19 April 2015.

  1. Moving toward equitable, systemic science education reform: The synergy among science education and school-level reforms in an urban middle school

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kelly, Mary Kathryn

    The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the relationships among school-level and science education reform efforts and how, collectively, they contribute to the progress of equitable, systemic science education reform. A case study research design was employed to gather both qualitative and quantitative data between 1995 and 1999. The site of this study is a non-selective, urban middle school in a large district that participated in several reform efforts. These reforms include both efforts focused on school-level change and efforts focused on change in science teaching and learning. Its program incorporates aspects of several school-level reforms---from the underlying Paideia philosophy, to structural characteristics of middle schools, to site-based decision-making, to its status as a magnet school, to its participation as a professional development school. Further, the participation of all science teachers in the intensive, standards-based professional development offered by Ohio's systemic reform of mathematics and science created a critical mass of reform-oriented teachers who supported one another as they incorporated reform-based practices into their teaching. The interplay of the reform efforts has manifested in a high level of science achievement in comparison to the school's district. Addressing the third component of O'Day and Smith's model for systemic reform, the need for school-level change to enable implementation of curriculum frameworks and aligned policies, this study illustrates two important points. First, the high-quality teacher professional development increased teachers' capacity to change their practices by enhancing their knowledge of and skills in implementing standards-based teaching practices. Second, because of the synchrony among the school-level reforms and between the school-level and science education reforms, the context of Webster provided a supportive environment in which lasting changes in science teaching

  2. Ocean Literacy After-School

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hlinka, Lisa

    2016-04-01

    Ocean Literacy is a topic that is often underrepresented in secondary school science curriculum. To combat this deficit, our School has partnered up with Hudson River Community Sailing (HRCS), a local organization in New York City that offers an after-school program to high-need high school students in the surrounding community. This organization has developed a 9th grade Sail Academy which allows students from participating public high schools to increase their proficiency in math and science by learning basic sailing, navigation, and boat building. Upon successfully completing the 9th grade Sail Academy curriculum, students enter the "First Mates Program" which offers a scaffolded set of youth development experiences that prepare students for college, career, leadership, and stewardship. This program is built in the context of a new Ocean Literacy Curriculum focused around 3 major topics within Ocean Literacy: Marine Debris, Meteorology, and Ecology (specifically water quality). The learning experiences include weekly data collection of marine debris, weather conditions, and water quality testing in the Hudson River adjacent to the HRCS Boathouse. Additionally there are weekly lessons engaging students in the fundamentals of each of the 3 topics and how they are also important in the lens of sailing. During the marine debris portion of the curriculum students identify sources of marine debris, impacts on the local environment, and study how debris can travel along the ocean currents leading in to larger garbage gyres. To supplement the curriculum, students embarked on a day trip to the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility in Brooklyn, NY to learn how and where NYC receives its drinking water, how wastewater is treated, and how water quality in the local area can be easily influenced. While on the trip, students did their data collection of marine debris, weather conditions, and water quality testing at Newtown Creek, and then they compared their results

  3. Science That Matters: Exploring Science Learning and Teaching in Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fitzgerald, Angela; Smith, Kathy

    2016-01-01

    To help support primary school students to better understand why science matters, teachers must first be supported to teach science in ways that matter. In moving to this point, this paper identifies the dilemmas and tensions primary school teachers face in the teaching of science. The balance is then readdressed through a research-based…

  4. YMCA Earth Service Corps Club Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peace Corps, Washington, DC. Information Collection and Exchange Div.

    This handbook provides Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Earth Service Corps club leaders and advisors with ideas for structuring clubs and service-learning projects. Activities and suggestions help to plan out the year, and improve service projects and club meetings. Contents include: (1) "What is YMCA Earth Service Corps?"; (2)…

  5. Chemistry, the Central Science? The History of the High School Science Sequence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheppard, Keith; Robbins, Dennis M.

    2005-01-01

    Chemistry became the ''central science'' not by design but by accident in the US high schools. The three important factors, which had their influence on the high school science, are sequenced and their impact on the development of US science education, are mentioned.

  6. STOP for Science! A School-Wide Science Enrichment Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slane, P.; Slane, R.; Arcand, K. K.; Lestition, K.; Watzke, M.

    2012-08-01

    Young students are often natural scientists. They love to poke and prod, and they live to compare and contrast. What is the fastest animal? Where is the tallest mountain on Earth (or in the Solar System)? Where do the colors in a rainbow come from? And why do baseball players choke up on their bats? Educators work hard to harness this energy and enthusiasm in the classroom but, particularly at an early age, science enrichment - exposure outside the formal classroom - is crucial to help expand science awareness and hone science skills. Developed under a grant from NASA's Chandra X-ray Center, "STOP for Science!" is a simple but effective (and extensible) school-wide science enrichment program aimed at raising questions about science topics chosen to capture student interest. Created through the combined efforts of an astrophysicist and an elementary school principal, and strongly recommended by NASA's Earth & Space Science product review, "STOP for Science" combines aesthetic displays of science topics accompanied by level-selected questions and extensive facilitator resources to provide broad exposure to familiar, yet intriguing, science themes.

  7. Best Practice in Middle-School Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Wilcox, Kristen C.; Angelis, Janet; Applebee, Arthur N.; Amodeo, Vincent; Snyder, Michele A.

    2013-03-01

    Using socio-ecological theory, this study explores best practice (educational practices correlated with higher student performance) in middle-school science. Seven schools with consistently higher student performance were compared with three demographically similar, average-performing schools. Best practice included instructional approaches (relevance and engagement, inquiry, differentiated instruction, collaborative work, moderate amounts of homework, and integration of language literacy and science) and administrative practices (nurturing a climate of opportunity to succeed in science, offering professional development based on data and dialogue, engaging teachers in standards-based curriculum revision and alignment, and recruiting the right fit of teacher). It is argued that best practice entails multiple levels of teaching and administrative praxis that together form a school-wide socio-ecological system conducive to higher performance.

  8. Awesome Adventures. Texas Reading Club, 1985. A Planning and Programming Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phelan, Jody; Otstott, Michele

    Designed to encourage Texas youth to maintain reading skill levels achieved at the end of the school year and to encourage library use during the summer months and throughout the year, the Texas Reading Club programs usually include a structured reading program and a variety of entertaining literature related storyhours, puppet shows, films, and…

  9. Differences in Middle School Science Achievement by School District Size

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mann, Matthew James; Maxwell, Gerri M.; Holland, Glenda

    2013-01-01

    This study examined differences in Texas middle school student achievement in science by school district enrollment size. Quantitative research utilized analysis of variance to determine whether significant differences existed between student achievement on the 2010 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills 8th grade science results and four school…

  10. Impact of Texas High School Science Teacher Credentials on Student Performance in High School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    George, Anna Ray Bayless

    2012-01-01

    A study was conducted to determine the relationship between the credentials held by science teachers who taught at a school that administered the Science Texas Assessment on Knowledge and Skills (Science TAKS), the state standardized exam in science, at grade 11 and student performance on a state standardized exam in science administered in grade…

  11. Talking after school: Parents' conversational styles and children's memory for a science lesson.

    PubMed

    Leichtman, Michelle D; Camilleri, Kaitlin A; Pillemer, David B; Amato-Wierda, Carmela C; Hogan, Jennifer E; Dongo, Melissa D

    2017-04-01

    A scientist taught 40 4- to 6-year-old children an interactive science lesson at school. The same day, children talked about the lesson at home with a parent who was naive to the details of what had transpired at school. Six days later, a researcher interviewed children about objects, activities, and concepts that were part of the lesson. Aspects of parents' conversational style (e.g., open-ended memory questions, descriptive language) predicted how much information children provided in talking with them, which in turn predicted children's memory performance 6days later. The findings suggest that elaborative parent-child conversations at home could boost children's retention of academic information acquired at school even when parents have no specific knowledge of what children have experienced there. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Promoting Science in Secondary School Education.

    PubMed

    Chiovitti, Anthony; Duncan, Jacinta C; Jabbar, Abdul

    2017-06-01

    Engaging secondary school students with science education is crucial for a society that demands a high level of scientific literacy in order to deal with the economic and social challenges of the 21st century. Here we present how parasitology could be used to engage and promote science in secondary school students under the auspice of a 'Specialist Centre' model for science education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Teachers' professional development needs and current practices at the Alexander Science Center School

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gargus, Gerald Vincent

    meetings, classroom coaching/Big Lab co-teaching, summer institutes, and off-campus conferences and seminars. Results indicated that the effectiveness of the six venues was closely tied to the level of collaborative planning that took place between the Alexander Science Center School and the associated California Science Center. Examination of teachers' and stakeholders opinions reflect that after a year-and-a-half of operations, the school's professional development program is perceived as disjointed and ineffective, but that the foundation of a sound program has been established.

  14. Ocean Science in a K-12 setting: Promoting Inquiry Based Science though Graduate Student and Teacher Collaboration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lodico, J. M.; Greely, T.; Lodge, A.; Pyrtle, A.; Ivey, S.; Madeiros, A.; Saleem, S.

    2005-12-01

    The University of South Florida, College of Marine Science Oceans: GK-12 Teaching Fellowship Program is successfully enriching science learning via the oceans. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the program provides a unique opportunity among scientists and K-12 teachers to interact with the intention of bringing ocean science concepts and research to the classroom environment enhance the experience of learning and doing science, and to promote `citizen scientists' for the 21st century. The success of the program relies heavily on the extensive summer training program where graduate students develop teaching skills, create inquiry based science activities for a summer Oceanography Camp for Girls program and build a relationship with their mentor teacher. For the last year and a half, two graduate students from the College of Marine Science have worked in cooperation with teachers from the Pinellas county School District, Southside Fundamental Middle School. Successful lesson plans brought into a 6th grade Earth Science classroom include Weather and climate: Global warming, The Geologic timescale: It's all about time, Density: Layering liquids, and Erosion processes: What moves water and sediment. The school and students have benefited greatly from the program experiencing hands-on inquiry based science and the establishment of an after school science club providing opportunities for students to work on their science fair projects and pursuit other science interests. Students are provided scoring rubrics and their progress is creatively assessed through KWL worksheets, concept maps, surveys, oral one on one and classroom discussions and writing samples. The year culminated with a series of hands on lessons at the nearby beach, where students demonstrated their mastery of skills through practical application. Benefits to the graduate student include improved communication of current science research to a diverse audience, a better understanding of the

  15. Science and Technology Teachers' Views of Primary School Science and Technology Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yildiz-Duban, Nil

    2013-01-01

    This phenomenographic study attempts to explicit science and technology teachers' views of primary school science and technology curriculum. Participants of the study were selected through opportunistic sampling and consisted of 30 science and technology teachers teaching in primary schools in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. Data were collected through an…

  16. Factors significantly related to science achievement of Malaysian middle school students: An analysis of TIMSS 1999 data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mokshein, Siti Eshah

    The importance of science and technology in the global economy has led to growing emphasis on math and science achievement all over the world. In this study, I seek to identify variables at the student-level and school-level that account for the variation in science achievement of the eighth graders in Malaysia. Using the Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) 1999 for Malaysia, a series of HLM analysis was performed. Results indicate that (1) variation in overall science achievement is greater between schools than within schools; (2) both the selected student-level and school-level factors are Important in explaining the variation in the eight graders' achievement In science; (3) the selected student-level variables explain about 13% of the variation in students' achievement within schools, but as an aggregate, they account for a much larger proportion of the between-school variance; (4) the selected school-level variables account for about 55% of the variation between schools; (5) within schools, the effects of self-concept In science, awareness of the social implications of science, gender, and home educational resources are significantly related to achievement; (6) the effects of self-concept in science and awareness of social implications of science are significant even after controlling for the effects of SES; (7) between schools, the effects of the mean of home educational resources, mean of parents' education, mean of awareness of the social implications of science, and emphasis on conducting experiments are significantly related to achievement; (8) the effects of SES variables explain about 50% of the variation in the school means achievement; and (9) the effects of emphasis on conducting experiments on achievement are significant even after controlling for the effects of SES. Since it is hard to change the society, it is recommended that efforts to Improve science achievement be focused more at the school-level, concentrating on variables that

  17. Home culture, science, school and science learning: is reconciliation possible?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Aik-Ling

    2011-09-01

    In response to Meyer and Crawford's article on how nature of science and authentic science inquiry strategies can be used to support the learning of science for underrepresented students, I explore the possibly of reconciliation between the cultures of school, science, school science as well as home. Such reconciliation is only possible when science teachers are cognizant of the factors affecting the cultural values and belief systems of underrepresented students. Using my experience as an Asian learner of WMS, I suggest that open and honest dialogues in science classrooms will allow for greater clarity of the ideals that WMS profess and cultural beliefs of underrepresented students. This in-depth understanding will eliminate guesswork and unrealistic expectations and in the process promote tolerance and acceptance of diversity in ways of knowing.

  18. The School Science Attitude Survey: A New Instrument for Measuring Attitudes towards School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy, JohnPaul; Quinn, Frances; Taylor, Neil

    2016-01-01

    There have been many attempts over the last five decades to measure students' attitudes towards school science. Many of these studies investigated attitudes towards limited aspects of science and utilized large numbers of items to draw snapshot summaries of the educational landscape. An understanding of attitudes towards science, and how these…

  19. The development of science achievement in middle and high school. Individual differences and school effects.

    PubMed

    Ma, Xin; Wilkins, Jesse L M

    2002-08-01

    Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY), hierarchical linear models (HLMs) were used to model the growth of student science achievement in three areas (biology, physical science, and environmental science) during middle and high school. Results showed significant growth in science achievement across all areas. The growth was quadratic across all areas, with rapid growth at the beginning grades of middle school but slow growth at the ending grades of high school. At the student level, socioeconomic status (SES) and age were related to the rate of growth in all areas. There were no gender differences in the rate of growth in any of the three areas. At the school level, variables associated with school context (school mean SES and school size) and variables associated with school climate (principal leadership, academic expectation, and teacher autonomy) were related to the growth in science achievement. Initial (Grade 7) status in science achievement was not associated with the rate of growth in science achievement among either students or schools in any of the three areas.

  20. A New Approach to A Science Magnet School - Classroom and Museum Integration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Franklin, Samuel

    2009-03-01

    The Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy is a place where any student with an interest in science, technology, engineering or math can develop skills for a career in life sciences, environmental sciences, computing, or engineering. The Academy isn't just a new school. It's a new way to think about school. The curriculum is tailored to students who have a passion for science, technology, engineering or math. The environment is one of extraordinary support for students, parents, and faculty. And the Academy exists to provide opportunities, every day, for students to Dream. Discover. Design. That is, Academy students set goals and generate ideas, research and discover answers, and design real solutions for the kinds of real-world problems that they'll face after graduation. The Academy prepares students for their future, whether they go on to higher education or immediate employment. This talk will explain the unique features of the Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy, lessons learned from its two-year design process, and the role that the Carnegie Museums have played and will continue to play as the school grows.

  1. Middle School Science Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1980

    1980-01-01

    Describes equipment, experiments, and activities useful in middle school science instruction, including demonstrating how strong paper can be, the inclined plane illusion, a simplified diet calculation, a magnetic levitator, science with soap bubbles, a model motor and dynamo, and a pocketed sorter for safety glasses. (SK)

  2. Inquiry-Based Science Education: A Scenario on Zambia's High School Science Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chabalengula, Vivien M.; Mumba, Frackson

    2012-01-01

    This paper is aimed at elucidating the current state of inquiry-based science education (IBSE) in Zambia's high school science curriculum. Therefore, we investigated Zambian teachers' conceptions of inquiry; determined inquiry levels in the national high school science curriculum materials, which include syllabi, textbooks and practical exams; and…

  3. The Costa Rica GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Project as a Learning Science Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Castro Rojas, María Dolores; Zuñiga, Ana Lourdes Acuña; Ugalde, Emmanuel Fonseca

    2015-12-01

    GLOBE is a global educational program for elementary and high school levels, and its main purpose in Costa Rica is to develop scientific thinking and interest for science in high school students through hydrology research projects that allow them to relate science with environmental issues in their communities. Youth between 12 and 17 years old from public schools participate in science clubs outside of their regular school schedule. A comparison study was performed between different groups, in order to assess GLOBE's applicability as a learning science atmosphere and the motivation and interest it generates in students toward science. Internationally applied scales were used as tools for measuring such indicators, adapted to the Costa Rican context. The results provide evidence statistically significant that the students perceive the GLOBE atmosphere as an enriched environment for science learning in comparison with the traditional science class. Moreover, students feel more confident, motivated and interested in science than their peers who do not participate in the project. However, the results were not statistically significant in this last respect.

  4. Globalization of Continuing Professional Development by Journal Clubs via Microblogging: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Perera, Marlon; Lawrentschuk, Nathan; Romanic, Diana; Papa, Nathan; Bolton, Damien

    2015-01-01

    Background Journal clubs are an essential tool in promoting clinical evidence-based medical education to all medical and allied health professionals. Twitter represents a public, microblogging forum that can facilitate traditional journal club requirements, while also reaching a global audience, and participation for discussion with study authors and colleagues. Objective The aim of the current study was to evaluate the current state of social media–facilitated journal clubs, specifically Twitter, as an example of continuing professional development. Methods A systematic review of literature databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, ERIC via ProQuest) was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic search of Twitter, the followers of identified journal clubs, and Symplur was also performed. Demographic and monthly tweet data were extracted from Twitter and Symplur. All manuscripts related to Twitter-based journal clubs were included. Statistical analyses were performed in MS Excel and STATA. Results From a total of 469 citations, 11 manuscripts were included and referred to five Twitter-based journal clubs (#ALiEMJC, #BlueJC, #ebnjc, #urojc, #meded). A Twitter-based journal club search yielded 34 potential hashtags/accounts, of which 24 were included in the final analysis. The median duration of activity was 11.75 (interquartile range [IQR] 19.9, SD 10.9) months, with 7 now inactive. The median number of followers and participants was 374 (IQR 574) and 157 (IQR 272), respectively. An overall increasing establishment of active Twitter-based journal clubs was observed, resulting in an exponential increase in total cumulative tweets (R 2=.98), and tweets per month (R 2=.72). Cumulative tweets for specific journal clubs increased linearly, with @ADC_JC, @EBNursingBMJ, @igsjc, @iurojc, and @NephJC, and showing greatest rate of change, as well as total impressions per month since

  5. Eye and Face Protection in School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaufman, Jim

    2006-01-01

    Choosing what eye and face protection to provide for the high school science laboratory is often a challenge. Science teachers and school administrators may not fully understand the relevant safety regulations and standards or be able to correctly identify the various types of eye protection devices. Although some schools have received training…

  6. GUIDE FOR SELF-EXAMINATION AND PLANNING, THE CLUB ANALYSIS PROGRAM OF INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT CLUBS OF THE YMCA.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MEYER, WILLIAM F.

    THIS GUIDE PROVIDES A QUESTION AND ANSWER METHOD IN WHICH LEADERS OF INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT CLUBS (IMC) MAY EVALUATE CLUB PROGRESS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. A REPORT OF A NATIONAL STUDY MADE BY GEORGE WILLIAMS COLLEGE ON I.M.C. MEMBERS AND THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD CLUB PROGRESS IS PROVIDED AS A GUIDE FOR GATHERING INFORMATION. A SMALL CORE STEERING…

  7. Role Calls for Boys & Girls Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    D'Allesandro, Lou

    2013-01-01

    The New Hampshire Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs has come a long way since the inception of the state's first Club in Manchester more than 100 years ago. The goal of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America is to provide youth with programs and services that allow them to realize their full potential as productive members of society. State and…

  8. The Book Club Exploded

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoffert, Barbara

    2006-01-01

    One leader, 12 readers, and a few well-thumbed copies of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." That is all a book club once required, but this is no longer the case. This article describes how the runaway popularity of book clubs has brought with it a whole new set of possibilities. Thematic discussion? A fiction/nonfiction mix? Videoconferencing?…

  9. The Courts, Social Science, and School Desegregation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Levin, Betsy, Ed.; Hawley, Willis D., Ed.

    A conference on the courts, social science, and school desegregation attempted to clarify how social science research has been used and possibly misused in school desegregation litigation. The symposium issue addressed in this book is a product of that conference. First, the judicial evolution of the law of school desegregation from Brown V. the…

  10. Saudi Elementary School Science Teachers' Beliefs: Teaching Science in the New Millennium

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alghamdi, Amani K. Hamdan; Al-Salouli, Misfer Saud

    2013-01-01

    This study explored Saudi elementary school science teachers' beliefs about the process of teaching and learning science. This involved the exploration of their views about the new Saudi science curriculum, which emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving. Comprehensive interviews were held in 8 schools with 4 male and 6 female--2 of whom…

  11. Club health: global perspectives, new directions.

    PubMed

    Measham, Fiona; Anderson, Tammy; Hadfield, Phil

    2009-01-01

    This editorial presents the views of the guest editors of this collection in summarising some of the general themes arising from a selection of papers presented at the 2008 Club Health Conference in Ibiza, Spain. Particular emphasis is placed upon the value of comparative approaches to club studies, youth culture and substance use so that researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners can gain new understanding of the interplay of local and global factors which shape club cultures, nightlife scenes, and individual lifestyles. By contextualizing the studies in this volume, the editorial outlines important themes and issues which will help promote Club Studies as an interdisciplinary field of endeavour well into the future.

  12. Characteristics of High School Students' and Science Teachers' Cognitive Frame about Effective Teaching Method for High School Science Subject

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chung, Duk Ho; Park, Kyeong-Jin; Cho, Kyu Seong

    2016-04-01

    We investigated the cognitive frame of high school students and inservice high school science teachers about effective teaching method, and we also explored how they understood about the teaching methods suggested by the 2009 revised Science Curriculum. Data were collected from 275 high school science teachers and 275 high school students. We analyzed data in terms of the words and the cognitive frame using the Semantic Network Analysis. The results were as follows. First, the teachers perceived that an activity oriented class was the effective science class that helped improve students'' problem-solving abilities and their inquiry skills. The students had the cognitive frame that their teacher had to present relevant and enough teaching materials to students, and that they should also receive assistance from teachers in science class to better prepare for college entrance exam. Second, both students and teachers retained the cognitive frame about the efficient science class that was not reflected 2009 revised Science Curriculum exactly. Especially, neither groups connected the elements of ''convergence'' as well as ''integration'' embedded across science subject areas to their cognitive frame nor cognized the fact that many science learning contents were closed related to one another. Therefore, various professional development opportunities should be offered so that teachers succinctly comprehend the essential features and the intents of the 2009 revised Science Curriculum and thereby implement it in their science lessons effectively. Keywords : semantic network analysis, cognitive frame, teaching method, science lesson

  13. School Innovation in Science: A Model for Supporting School and Teacher Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tytler, Russell

    2007-01-01

    "School Innovation in Science" represents a model, developed through working with more than 200 Victorian schools, to improve science teaching and learning. SIS works at the level of the science team and the teacher, providing resources to challenge and support the change process. Its emphasis is on strategic planning supported by a…

  14. Bringing Astronomy Directly to People Who Do Not Come to Star Parties, Science Museums, or Science Festivals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lubowich, Donald A.

    2013-01-01

    My successful programs have included telescope observations, hands-on activities, and edible astronomy demonstrations for: outdoor concerts or music festivals; the National Mall; churches, synagogues, seminaries, or clergy conferences; the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island (New Hyde Park, NY), the Winthrop University Hospital Children’s Medical Center (Mineola, NY); the Fresh Air Fund summer camps; a Halloween star party with costumed kids looking through telescopes; a Super Bowl Star Party; the World Science Festival (NYC); the Princeton University Science and Engineering Expo; the USA Science and Engineering Festival; and the NYC Columbus Day Parade. These outreach activities have reached thousands of people including many young girls. Information was also provided about local science museums, citizen science projects, astronomy educational sites, and astronomy clubs to encourage learning after these events. In 2010 I created Astronomy Night on the National Mall (co-sponsored the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy) with the participation of astronomy clubs, Chandra X-Ray Center, STScI, NASA, NOAO, NSF and the National Air and Space Museum. Since 2009 my NASA-funded Music and Astronomy Under the Stars (MAUS) program has brought astronomy to 50,000 music lovers who attended the Central Park Jazz, Newport Folk, Tanglewood, or Ravinia music festivals or classical, folk, rock, pop, opera, or county-western concerts in local parks assisted by astronomy clubs. MAUS is an evening, nighttime, and cloudy weather traveling astronomy program combining solar, optical, and radio telescope observations; a live image projection system; large outdoor posters and banners; videos; and hands-on activities before and after the concerts or at intermission. Yo-Yo-Ma and the Chicago Symphony or Boston Symphony Orchestras, the McCoy Tyner Quartet with Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding, the Stanley Clarke Band, Phish, Blood Sweat and Tears, Deep Purple, Patti Smith

  15. The Effect of a Zoo-Based Experiential Academic Science Program on High School Students' Math and Science Achievement and Perceptions of School Climate

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mulkerrin, Elizabeth A.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an 11th-grade and 12th-grade zoo-based academic high school experiential science program compared to a same school-district school-based academic high school experiential science program on students' pretest and posttest science, math, and reading achievement, and student perceptions of…

  16. Senior High School Earth Sciences and Marine Sciences.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hackenberg, Mary; And Others

    This guide was developed for earth sciences and marine sciences instruction in the senior high schools of Duval County, Jacksonville, Florida. The subjects covered are: (1) Earth Science for 10th, 11th, and 12th graders; (2) Marine Biology I for 10th, 11th, and 12th graders; (3) Marine Biology II, Advanced, for 11th and 12th graders; (4) Marine…

  17. Alcohol sponsorship of community football clubs: the current situation.

    PubMed

    Sawyer, Amy L; Wolfenden, Luke; Kennedy, Vanessa J; Kingsland, Melanie; Young, Kylie G; Tindall, Jennifer; Rowland, Bosco C; Colbran, Richard W; Wiggers, John H

    2012-04-01

    There is accumulating evidence supporting a link between alcohol industry sponsorship and alcohol-related problems in both community and elite-level sports. Little is known, however, about the current status of such sponsorship, particularly of community sport. This study aimed to assess associations between alcohol industry sponsorship and different community football clubs in Australia. The study involved 101 community football clubs across New South Wales, Australia. One representative from each club took part in a cross-sectional telephone survey designed to assess club (football code, number of players, socioeconomic and geographic descriptors) and alcohol industry sponsorship (money, equipment, free alcohol or discounted alcohol) characteristics. Chi-square analysis was used to test associations between club characteristics, and: i) any alcohol industry sponsorship; and ii) type of sponsorship. Eighty-eight per cent of clubs reported receiving sponsorship from the alcohol industry, and most clubs (82%) were sponsored by a licensed premises. There were no significant associations between club characteristics and source of alcohol industry sponsorship. However, small clubs were found to be significantly more likely to receive free or discounted alcohol sponsorship than larger clubs (p=0.05). This exploratory study suggests a significant presence of alcohol industry sponsorship among community football clubs in Australia.

  18. Book Clubs. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    What Works Clearinghouse, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Book clubs provide a reading framework designed to supplement or organize regular classroom reading instruction for students in grades K-8. This review focuses on "Book Club" (Raphael & McMahon, 1994) and "Literature Circles" (Daniels, 2002), but it uses the general lowercase) term "book clubs" to embrace both…

  19. The kids at Hamilton Elementary School: Purposes and practices for co-opting science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ortiz, Loaiza

    The purpose of this study was to explore youth's purposes and motivations for engaging in science through the lens of science practices. The construct of science practices allowed me to see science in youths' lives in a holistic way, shaped by social, political, historical, economic and cultural forces. The framework for understanding urban youths' science practices is grounded in the intersections of critical and feminist theory, sociocultural learning theories, especially as applied in research in urban science education, and recent work in critical literacy studies. As I explored the answers to my research questions---(1) When 5th grade youth, living in predominantly Latino communities struggling with urban poverty, engage in science how and why do they co-opt science in ways that result in changes in participation in science? (2) What are the science practices that facilitate youths' coopting of science? And how are those practices framed by context (school, out-of-school), content (LiFE curriculum), and funds of knowledge? (3) In what ways are science practices expressions of youths' scientific literacy? And (4) In what ways do youth use science practices as tools for expressing identities and agency?---I engaged in feminist ethnography with embedded case studies. Data were collected in 2004 in school and in out of school settings. I recorded numerous informal conversations, interviews, and observations both during after-school and students' regular science and non-science classes. Findings describe how and why students co-opted science for purposes that make sense for their lives. These purposes included gaining and activating resources, building and maintaining social relationships, bridging home and school knowledge, positioning themselves with authority, and constructing science identities. Findings also explored what practices facilitated youth's co-opting of science. I highlighted three practices: making ideas public, storytelling and prioritizing and

  20. Strategies for Science Student Achievement & Productive School Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, William L.

    2010-01-01

    There is an increasing literature pertaining to student achievement and school productivity. This session will present school and classroom strategies used in high school science classes at Robert E. Lee High School (5A) in Tyler, Texas. This year, 84% of the students at Lee passed the science TAKS test. Lee is also ranked in the top 1500 high…

  1. Creating Hybrid Spaces for Engaging School Science among Urban Middle School Girls

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barton, Angela Calabrese; Tan, Edna; Rivet, Ann

    2008-01-01

    The middle grades are a crucial time for girls in making decisions about how or if they want to follow science trajectories. In this article, the authors report on how urban middle school girls enact meaningful strategies of engagement in science class in their efforts to merge their social worlds with the worlds of school science and on the…

  2. A Proposal to Address NFL Club Doctors’ Conflicts of Interest and to Promote Player Trust

    PubMed Central

    Cohen, I. Glenn; Lynch, Holly Fernandez; Deubert, Christopher R.

    2016-01-01

    How can we ensure that players in the National Football League receive excellent health care they can trust from providers who are as free from conflicts of interest as realistically possible? NFL players typically receive care from the club's own medical staff. Club doctors are clearly important stakeholders in player health. They diagnose and treat players for a variety of ailments, physical and mental, while making recommendations to the player concerning those ailments. At the same time, club doctors have obligations to the club, namely to inform and advise clubs about the health status of players. While players and clubs share an interest in player health—both of them want players to be healthy so they can play at peak performance—there are several areas where their interests can diverge, and the divergence presents legal and ethical challenges. The current structure forces club doctors to have obligations to two parties—the club and the player—and to make difficult judgments about when one party's interests must yield to another's. None of the three parties involved should prefer this conflicted approach. We propose to resolve the problem of dual loyalty by largely severing the club doctor's ties with the club and refashioning that role into one of singular loyalty to the player‐patient. The main idea is to separate the roles of serving the player and serving the club and replace them with two distinct sets of medical professionals: the Players' Medical Staff (with exclusive loyalty to the player) and the Club Evaluation Doctor (with exclusive loyalty to the club). We begin by explaining the broad ethical principles that guide us and that help shape our recommendation. We then provide a description of the role of the club doctor in the current system. After explaining the concern about the current NFL player health care structure, we provide a recommendation for improving this structure. We then discuss how the club medical staff fits into the

  3. The development of healthy tennis clubs in the Netherlands.

    PubMed

    Pluim, Babette M; Earland, Jane; Pluim, Nicole E

    2014-06-01

    To explore the factors that facilitate or hinder the development of healthy tennis clubs in the Netherlands and to identify suitable interventions that would help clubs to reach 'healthy club' status. A maximum variation, purposive sampling strategy was used to identify and recruit board members (n=16) from 10 Dutch tennis clubs. Data were collected using in-depth interviews based on an interview guide. The interviews explored what steps the clubs had taken to create a healthy tennis club, and what the respondents perceived to be the barriers to reaching healthy club status. The data were analysed using thematic content analysis. An ecological model was used to frame the interpretation of the themes and guide the development of the interventions. Four emerging themes were identified: provision of healthy foods, injury prevention and health services, social health and safety around the club. The main facilitators were found to be support from club management, having appropriate policies in place and having appointed officers. The main barriers were identified as a lack of policy templates, inadequate knowledge of coaches on injury prevention and injury management and fragmented access to relevant information. Guided by an ecological model, this study demonstrates the many factors that influence tennis clubs and the individual members of a healthy tennis club. Using this model, a multilevel intervention framework has been created that could be used by the Royal Netherlands Lawn Tennis Association to increase the number of healthy tennis clubs in the Netherlands.

  4. A little nightclub medicine: the healthcare implications of clubbing.

    PubMed

    Luke, L C; Dewar, C; Bailey, M; McGreevy, D; Morris, H; Burdett-Smith, P

    2002-11-01

    To describe the scale and range of acute medical problems among patients who present to an inner city accident and emergency (A&E) department after attending nightclubs in Liverpool. From April 1997 to April 1998, all patients identified as having attended a nightclub before their arrival at the department were included in the study. Information regarding their attendance was gathered retrospectively using a standard proforma. A large, city centre, teaching hospital A&E department with an annual new patient attendance rate of over 95,000. 777 such patients were enrolled in the study (0.81% of all new attendances during the same period). This was probably an underestimate, as some eligible patients were not identified during the study. Predictably, most presentations were at the weekend between midnight and 08.00. Surprisingly, the commonest mode of transport to the hospital was an ambulance (38%, 298 of the total). Assault accounted for most presentations (57%, 443 of the total) and lacerations were the commonest injury (the face being most frequently affected). Alcohol was the commonest intoxicant overtly associated with the A&E department attendance. Injury after assault is the commonest precipitant of hospital care among clubbers in Liverpool. Alcohol is the most important contributory factor, although illegal drug misuse is a considerable challenge in the clubs themselves. A number of measures such as (a) the introduction of unbreakable glass or plastic containers; (b) the elimination of glass from outside clubs; (c) the provision of high quality immediate medical care at larger venues; (d) the curbing of over crowding and cheap drinks promotions; (e) registration of doormen, and (f) targeted policing of the areas around nightclubs are urgently required to reduce the healthcare (and civic) burden of clubbing. The cost for these should be borne by the highly profitable clubbing and brewing industries. A national code of practice for clubs-already in existence

  5. The Changing Roles of Science Specialists during a Capacity Building Program for Primary School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herbert, Sandra; Xu, Lihua; Kelly, Leissa

    2017-01-01

    Science education starts at primary school. Yet, recent research shows primary school teachers lack confidence and competence in teaching science (Prinsley & Johnston, 2015). A Victorian state government science specialist initiative responded to this concern by providing professional learning programs to schools across Victoria. Drawing on…

  6. Science Education at Riverside Middle School A Case Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smiley, Bettie Ann Pickens

    For more than thirty years the gender gap in science and related careers has been a key concern of researchers, teachers, professional organizations, and policy makers. Despite indicators of progress for women and girls on some measures of achievement, course enrollment patterns, and employment, fewer women than men pursue college degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to the results of national assessments, the gender gap in science achievement begins to be evident in the middle school years. Gender and school science achievement involve a complex set of factors associated with schools and child/family systems that may include school leadership, institutional practices, curriculum content, teacher training programs, teacher expectations, student interests, parental involvement, and cultural values. This ethnographic case study was designed to explore the context for science education reform and the participation of middle school girls. The study analyzed and compared teaching strategies and female student engagement in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade science classrooms. The setting was a middle school situated in a district that was well-known for its achievement in reading, math, and technology. Findings from the study indicated that while classroom instruction was predominantly organized around traditional school science, the girls were more disciplined and outperformed the boys. The size of the classrooms, time to prepare for hands-on activities, and obtaining resources were identified as barriers to teaching science in ways that aligned with recent national science reform initiatives. Parents who participated in the study were very supportive of their daughters' academic progress and career goals. A few of the parents suggested that the school's science program include more hands-on activities; instruction designed for the advanced learner; and information related to future careers. Overall the teachers and

  7. Running Clubs--A Combinatorial Investigation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nissen, Phillip; Taylor, John

    1991-01-01

    Presented is a combinatorial problem based on the Hash House Harriers rule which states that the route of the run should not have previously been traversed by the club. Discovered is how many weeks the club can meet before the rule has to be broken. (KR)

  8. Operations Course Icebreaker: Campus Club Cupcakes Exercise

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snider, Brent; Southin, Nancy

    2016-01-01

    Campus Club Cupcakes is an in-class "introduction to operations management" experiential learning exercise which can be used within minutes of starting the course. After reading the one-page mini case, students are encouraged to meet each other and collaborate to determine if making and selling cupcakes to fellow business students would…

  9. Science in an Indigenous School: Insight into Teacher Beliefs about Science Inquiry and Their Development as Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rofe, Craig; Moeed, Azra; Anderson, Dayle; Bartholomew, Rex

    2016-01-01

    School science aspires for students to develop conceptual, procedural and nature of science understandings as well as developing scientific literacy. Issues and complexities surrounding the development of science curriculum for Indigenous schools in New Zealand is a concern as little is known about these aspects of science learning in…

  10. The Science Curriculum. The Report of the National Forum for School Science (Crystal City, Virginia, November 14-15, 1986). This Year in School Science 1986.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Champagne, Audrey B., Ed.; Hornig, Leslie E., Ed.

    The outgrowth of a conference on how science education can best meet the needs and expectations of society, this volume is designed to provide a source of information and ideas about the future of the school science curriculum. It contains 15 papers, including: "Critical Questions and Tentative Answers for the School Science Curriculum" (Audrey B.…

  11. Best Practice in Middle-School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Wilcox, Kristen C.; Angelis, Janet; Applebee, Arthur N.; Amodeo, Vincent; Snyder, Michele A.

    2013-01-01

    Using socio-ecological theory, this study explores best practice (educational practices correlated with higher student performance) in middle-school science. Seven schools with consistently higher student performance were compared with three demographically similar, average-performing schools. Best practice included instructional approaches…

  12. Teaching Outside the Box: Challenging Gifted Students with Polar Sciences Without Benefit of a Science Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dooley, J.

    2013-12-01

    In the high-stakes-testing world of one-size-fits-most educational practices, it is often the needs of the most able students that are unmet, yet these high ability learners can benefit greatly from exploration in the area of polar science. With school schedules and budgets already stretched to the breaking point and Common Core (CCSS) subjects are the focus, very few resources remain for topics considered by some as unimportant. Polar and climate science are prime examples. Here, a council member of Polar Educators International and Gifted Education Teacher, shares resources and ideas to engage this unique group of students and others. She draws from experiences and knowledge gained through ANDRILL's Arise Educator program, IPY Oslo and Montreal PolarEDUCATOR workshops, and Consortium for Ocean Leadership's Deep Earth Academy. Topics include School-wide Enrichment through use of ANDRILL's Flexhibit material and participation in Antarctica Day, afterschool Deep Freeze clubs that presented in public outreach venues for polar science events at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore and NYC's Museum of Natural History, group project work using IODP core data from Antarctica, interaction with polar scientists via Skype, and other projects.

  13. The implementation of a discovery-oriented science education program in a rural elementary school

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liddell, Martha Sue

    2000-10-01

    statistical significance. Teachers, students, and parents responding to the attitudinal survey concerning science education at the school were asked to mark each of four statements in one of three ways: "Agree," "Unsure," or "Disagree." Teachers, students, and parents were also given the opportunity to make comments. The results of the 1998 attitudinal surveys administered to teachers, students, and parents at the school indicated that teachers at the school generally held negative perceptions about the science education program in place at the school. Students were also generally negative in their opinions about science education at the school and parents were somewhat neutral in their opinions. After the Science and Technology for Children program was implemented at the school site, opinions concerning science education at the school changed. The 1999 attitudinal surveys indicated that teachers, students, and parents at the school expressed more positive than negative responses concerning science education.

  14. Noncurricular Use of School Facilities: Legal Issues To Consider.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenkins, J. Kevin

    2002-01-01

    Describes legal issues involving use of school facilities by noncurricular groups such as the Girl Scouts, a student chess club, or a community gardening club. Discusses three Supreme Court cases on the subject: "Westside v. Mergens" (1990), "Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches Union-Free School District" (1993); and "Good…

  15. Extracurricular activities of medical school applicants

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate medical school applicants’ involvements in extracurricular activities including medical volunteering/community services, nonmedical community services, club activities, leadership role, and research. Methods: Extracurricular characteristics were compared for 448 applicants (223 males and 225 females) who applied to Kangwon Medical School in 2013 to 2014. Frequency analysis, chi-square test, and simple correlation were conducted with the collected data. Results: The 448 applicants participated in medical volunteer/community services (15.3%), nonmedical community services (39.8%), club activities (22.9%), club officials (10%), and research (13.4%). On average, applicants from foreign universities participated in 0.9 medical volunteer/community service, 0.8 nonmedical community service, 1.7 club activities, and 0.6 research work. On the other hand, applicants from domestic universities reported 0.2 medical volunteer/community service, 1.0 nonmedical community service, 0.7 club activity, and 0.3 research. Conclusion: Involvement in extracurricular activities was extensive for medical school applicants. Participation in extracurricular activities differed between applicants from foreign and domestic universities. Females consistently reported greater participation in extracurricular activities than males. The data can be helpful for admission committees to recruit well-rounded applicants and compare between applicants with similar academic backgrounds. PMID:26996435

  16. Extracurricular activities of medical school applicants.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sang Hyun

    2016-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate medical school applicants' involvements in extracurricular activities including medical volunteering/community services, nonmedical community services, club activities, leadership role, and research. Extracurricular characteristics were compared for 448 applicants (223 males and 225 females) who applied to Kangwon Medical School in 2013 to 2014. Frequency analysis, chi-square test, and simple correlation were conducted with the collected data. The 448 applicants participated in medical volunteer/community services (15.3%), nonmedical community services (39.8%), club activities (22.9%), club officials (10%), and research (13.4%). On average, applicants from foreign universities participated in 0.9 medical volunteer/community service, 0.8 nonmedical community service, 1.7 club activities, and 0.6 research work. On the other hand, applicants from domestic universities reported 0.2 medical volunteer/community service, 1.0 nonmedical community service, 0.7 club activity, and 0.3 research. Involvement in extracurricular activities was extensive for medical school applicants. Participation in extracurricular activities differed between applicants from foreign and domestic universities. Females consistently reported greater participation in extracurricular activities than males. The data can be helpful for admission committees to recruit well-rounded applicants and compare between applicants with similar academic backgrounds.

  17. Science, Technology and Society--An Authentic Exploration of IR Thermometers Application in Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tse, Isaac Pak Hoi; Leung, Winston Kwok Kuen; Chan, Shing Yi

    2004-01-01

    "Science, Technology and Society" was identified an essential strand in the new Science Education curriculum guide. Shortly after the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) threat to Hong Kong technical dealers introduced Infrared non-contact thermometers as a solution for schools to measure body temperature for a large number of…

  18. Introducing School Children in Nigeria to SPACE Technology As a Tool for Mitigation of National Catastrophes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alabi, O.

    2014-12-01

    The zonal workshops organized by the space education outreach unit of the African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education utilized recent catastrophic events in Nigeria to attract pre-collegiate youths to space science and technology (SST). About 200 school children, aged between 10 and 18 years participated in the program which was coordinated at 2 different geopolitical zones in Nigeria in 2014. The 2-day event was packed with a lot of fun-filled, hands-on educational activities demonstrating the use of outer space to address prevailing socio-economic problems in the nation. The students were introduced to the Nigerian Earth Observation Satellites, and learned why these satellites cannot be used to track the school girls kidnapped by the terrorist group in the northern part of the country. They were also introduced to other types of satellites and participated in activities on the applications of TRMM satellite data to monitor flood events in Nigeria. The Global Positioning System (GPS) technology was introduced as a navigational tool to curb criminal activities in the country and participants used the hand-held GPS unit for geocaching. The program culminated in the launching of space clubs in all the participating schools and a teacher from each school received resource materials on DVD to nurture the space club. To assess the impact of the workshop on the knowledge level of the participants in space science, quiz competitions were administered and the average score of the students was above 70%. The enthusiasm displayed by the students, coupled with the brilliant performance in the evaluation tests, indicated that this method of informal education, that linked science to the alleviation of national disasters is viable, not only for stimulating the interest of Nigerian pre-collegiate youths in SST, but also to inspire the young learners and develop their interest in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

  19. 4-H Club Goat Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, R. Kipp

    This guide provides information for 4-H Club members who have decided on a club goat project. Topics include general information in the following areas: show rules; facilities and equipment (barns/sheds, fences, feeders, water containers, and equipment); selection (structural correctness, muscle, volume and capacity, style and balance, and growth…

  20. Pilot Intervention to Increase Physical Activity among Sedentary Urban Middle School Girls: A Two-Group Pretest-Posttest Quasi-Experimental Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robbins, Lorraine B.; Pfeiffer, Karin A.; Maier, Kimberly S.; Lo, Yun-Jia; Wesolek, Stacey M.

    2012-01-01

    The primary purpose of the study was to determine whether girls in one school receiving nurse counseling plus an after-school physical activity club showed greater improvement in physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition than girls assigned to an attention control condition in another school (N = 69). Linear regressions…

  1. Nuclear science outreach program for high school girls

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

    Foster, D.E.; Stone, C.A.

    1996-12-31

    The authors have developed a 2-week summer school on nuclear science for high school girls. This summer school is an outgrowth of a recent American Nuclear Society high school teachers workshop held at San Jose State University. Young scientists are introduced to concepts in nuclear science through a combination of lectures, laboratory experiments, literature research, and visits to local national laboratories and nuclear facilities. Lectures cover a range of topics, including radioactivity and radioactive decay, statistics, fission and fusion, nuclear medicine, and food irradiation. A variety of applications of nuclear science concepts are also presented.

  2. The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eilber, Charles R.

    1987-01-01

    The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics was established in 1980 as a resident public high school for juniors and seniors demonstrating ability and interest in science and mathematics. Outlines the admission policy, instructional program, supportive services, and the school's commitment to public service. This was the first publicly…

  3. The effectiveness of an American science camp for Taiwanese high school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuo, Pi-Chu

    The purposes of this study were: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of an American science camp for Taiwanese high school students in terms of student attitudes toward science; (2) to understand the factors that affect student attitudes toward science in the American science camp. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed to answer my research questions: (1) How did the influence of the abroad science camp differ from the local one in terms of student attitudes toward science? (2) How did gender, grade level, and personality affect student attitudes toward science in the abroad science camp? An Attitudes toward Science Inventory was used in this study to measure student attitudes. The results of factor analysis suggested that the attitudes measured in this study include five common factors: science as school subjects (SC), science in society (SS), value of science (VS), science in laboratory (SL), and nature of science (NS). Significant improvements were found in SS, VS, and NS after the experiences of the abroad science camp. In the local science camp, only NS was non-significant comparing before and after the camp. The results from the comparisons between the two science camps show that different program designs have different impacts on student attitudes toward science. Furthermore, whether the science camps are designed based on learning theory or not, and regardless of how much time the campers spend in science-related activities during science camps, science camps can motivate students' interests in learning science. The results of mixed-design ANOVA for gender, grade level, and personality suggest that most of these personal factors did not significantly affect student attitudes. However, extraversion/introversion and sensing/intuition had impacts on the persuasibility of the abroad science camp.

  4. Club Drug Use in Hispanic College Students

    PubMed Central

    Resor, Michelle R.; Cooper, Theodore V.

    2010-01-01

    Club drug use and correlates were examined among 251 Hispanic college students on the Texas - México border. Participants completed questionnaires on substance use, club drug attitudes and beliefs, sexual risk-taking behaviors, depressive symptoms, and acculturation. One-quarter of participants reported club drug use. Regression analyses demonstrated that frequency and history of lifetime use were consistently associated with more permissive drug attitudes and other substance use but not sexual risk-taking, depression symptoms, or acculturation. Acculturation was negatively associated with frequency of club drug use, yet positively associated with use of other illicit substances. Avenues for future studies are suggested. PMID:20653638

  5. Recontextualization of Science from Lab to School: Implications for Science Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharma, Ajay; Anderson, Charles W.

    2009-01-01

    Scientists' science differs remarkably from school science. In order to be taught to students, science is recontextualized from scientific research communities to science classrooms. This paper examines scientific discourse in scientific research communities, and discusses its transformation from an internally-persuasive and authoritative…

  6. Urban school leadership for elementary science instruction: Identifying and activating resources in an undervalued school subject

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spillane, James P.; Diamond, John B.; Walker, Lisa J.; Halverson, Rich; Jita, Loyiso

    2001-10-01

    This article explores school leadership for elementary school science teaching in an urban setting. We examine how school leaders bring resources together to enhance science instruction when there appear to be relatively few resources available for it. From our study of 13 Chicago elementary (K-8) schools' efforts to lead instructional change in mathematics, language arts, and science education, we show how resources for leading instruction are unequally distributed across subject areas. We also explore how over time leaders in one school successfully identified and activated resources for leading change in science education. The result has been a steady, although not always certain, development of science as an instructional area in the school. We argue that leading change in science education involves the identification and activation of material resources, the development of teachers' and school leaders' human capital, and the development and use of social capital.

  7. Teaching controversial issues in the secondary school science classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Rooy, Wilhelmina

    1993-12-01

    A sample of fourteen secondary school biology teachers chosen from twelve schools were interviewed. The purpose was to determine their views on how controversial issues in science might be handled in the secondary school science classroom and whether the issues of surrogacy and human embryo experimentation were suitable controversial issues for discussion in schools. In general, teachers indicated that controversial issues deserve a more prominent place in the science curriculum because they have the potential to foster thinking, learning, and interest in science. The issues of surrogacy and human embryo experimentation were seen as appropriate contexts for learning, provided that teachers were well informed and sensitive to both the students and to the school environment.

  8. 76 FR 27253 - Safety Zone; Catawba Island Club Fireworks, Catawba Island Club, Port Clinton, OH

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-11

    ...-AA00 Safety Zone; Catawba Island Club Fireworks, Catawba Island Club, Port Clinton, OH AGENCY: Coast... zone in the Captain of the Port Detroit Zone on Lake Erie, Port Clinton, Ohio. This zone is intended to... temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with...

  9. Understanding understanding in secondary school science: An interpretive study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    O'Neill, Maureen Gail

    This study investigated the teaching of secondary school science with an emphasis on promoting student understanding. In particular, I focused on two research questions: What are the possible meanings of teaching for understanding? And, how might one teach secondary school science for understanding? After semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 secondary school science teachers, grounded theory methodology was used to interpret the data. As a result of the selective coding process, I was able to identify 14 connected components of teaching for understanding (TfU). The process of TfU involves: puzzle-solving, a specific pedagogy and a conscious decision. The teacher must be a reflective practitioner who has some knowledge of the facets of understanding. The teacher comes to a critical incident or crisis in his or her pedagogy and adopts a mindset which highlights TfU as a personal problematic. Teachers operate with student-centred rather than teacher-centred metaphors. TfU requires a firm belief in and passion for the process, a positive attitude and excellent pedagogical content knowledge. It hinges on a performance view of understanding and demands risk-taking in the science classroom. Abstracting these ideas to a theory led me to the notion of Purposive Teaching . In their purposive-driven role as pedagogues, these teachers have placed TfU at the core of their daily practice. Constraints and challenges facing TfU as well as implications of the findings are discussed. Keywords. science teaching, teaching for understanding, purposive teaching, constructivism, understanding, pedagogy, pedagogical content knowledge, memorization, meaningful learning, reflective practice.

  10. STEM after School: How to Design and Run Great Programs and Activities. A Guidebook for Program Leaders, Second Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    ExpandED Schools, 2014

    2014-01-01

    This guidebook was prepared by TASC (The After-School Corporation) and their Frontiers in Urban Science Education (FUSE) programs. FUSE is TASC's initiative to help more out-of-school-time programs and expanded learning time schools offer kids engaging, exciting and inspiring activities that promote science inquiry. The guidebook offers a a…

  11. From a Sense of Stereotypically Foreign to Belonging in a Science Community: Ways of Experiential Descriptions About High School Students' Science Internship

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hsu, Pei-Ling; Roth, Wolff-Michael

    2010-05-01

    Science educators often suggest that students should learn science in ways and settings that bear family resemblance with “the real thing.” Internship in science laboratories constitutes one such way in which students may learn science and learn about science. However, very little is known about how participants experience a science internship in an “authentic” science setting (i.e., a science laboratory). Our study was designed to understand the nature of participants’ experiences of “authentic science.” Participants included 11 high school students, one high school teacher, five laboratory technicians, and two scientists. High school students practiced science alongside technicians (young scientists) in real ongoing projects of a biology laboratory. Data sources include 19 semi-structured and video-recorded interviews held after the 2-month science internship. Drawing on phenomenographic method, we identified five categories of experiential descriptions: (a) authenticity of university science, (b) channeling and connecting different communities, (c) advanced knowledge required in and lengthy procedures mobilized by university science, (d) self-exploration and reflection, and (e) comprehensive science learning. Each category’s meaning for participants and implications for science education are illustrated and discussed. This study demonstrates positive evidence of the science internship on helping students learn different dimensions of science and reflect their relationship with science. Suggestions on facilitating the partnership between secondary and postsecondary education are provided.

  12. Severity of club drug dependence and perceived need for treatment among a sample of adult club drug users in Shanghai, China

    PubMed Central

    Ding, Yingying; He, Na; Shoptaw, Steven; Gao, Meiyang; Detels, Roger

    2013-01-01

    Purpose Examine the severity of club drug dependence and perceived need for treatment, and further identify their determinants among a sample of club drug users in Shanghai, China. Methods 276 club drug users were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Severity of dependence on club drugs was measured using the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS). Results 69.9% reported dependence on club drugs (i.e., SDS≥4) and 36.6% reported severe dependence (i.e., SDS≥6). One eighth (12.7%) perceived need for drug treatment. Severe dependence on club drugs was more likely among those who reported recent use of ecstasy and those who had more depressive symptoms, but less likely among those reporting recent use of methamphetamine. Perceived need for treatment was more likely among those who lived with a spouse or boy/girlfriend, but less likely among those had prior drug treatment experience and more severe club drug dependence. Conclusions Our findings suggest that educational activities should be implemented to raise public awareness about the powerful addictive properties of club drugs, along with efforts to reduce stigma towards drug abuse and psychiatric disorders. Programs to motivate drug users to seek treatment and encourage treatment linkage are urgently needed. PMID:23715971

  13. Validity and Worth in the Science Curriculum: Learning School Science Outside the Laboratory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Braund, Martin; Reiss, Michael

    2006-01-01

    It is widely acknowledged that there are problems with school science in many developed countries of the world. Such problems manifest themselves in a progressive decline in pupil enthusiasm for school science across the secondary age range and by the fact that fewer students are choosing to study the physical sciences at higher levels and as…

  14. GeoBus: sharing science research with schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roper, Kathryn; Robinson, Ruth; Moorhouse, Ben

    2016-04-01

    GeoBus (www.geobus.org.uk) is an educational outreach project that was developed in 2012 by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of St Andrews, and it is currently sponsored by industry, NERC, The Crown Estate, and the Scottish Government. The aims of GeoBus are to support the teaching of Earth Science in secondary (middle and high) schools by providing teaching support to schools that have little or no experience in teaching this subject. This is, in part, done through the sharing of new science research outcomes and the experiences of young researchers with school pupils to provide a bridge between industry, higher education institutions, research councils and schools. Since its launch, over 40,000 pupils will have been involved in experiential Earth science learning activities in 190 different schools (over 400 separate visits) across the length and breadth of Scotland: many of these schools are in remote and disadvantaged regions. A new GeoBus project is under development within the Department of Earth Sciences at UCL in London. A key aim of GeoBus is to incorporate new research into our workshops with the main challenge being the development of appropriate resources that incorporate the key learning aims and requirements of the science and geography curricula. GeoBus works closely with researchers, teachers and educational practitioners to tailor the research outcomes to the curricula as much as possible. Over the past four years, GeoBus has developed 17 workshops, 5 challenge events and extensive field trips and each of these activities are trialled and evaluated within the university, and adjustments are made before the activities are delivered in schools. Activities are continually reviewed and further developments are made in response to both teacher and pupil feedback. This critical reflection of the project's success and impact is important to insure a positive and significant contribution to the science learning in

  15. Science Guide for Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Georgia State Dept. of Education, Atlanta. Office of Instructional Services.

    This six-chapter guide is designed to help Georgia teachers adopt or adapt various options into the local school's science curriculum. Major areas addressed in the chapters are: (1) secondary school curriculum development (focusing on performance objectives, sequencing the curriculum, evaluation, and scientific literacy); (2) teaching methods…

  16. Your Science Classroom: Becoming an Elementary/Middle School Science Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldston, M. Jenice; Downey, Laura

    2012-01-01

    Designed around a practical "practice-what-you-teach" approach to methods instruction, "Your Science Classroom: Becoming an Elementary/Middle School Science Teacher" is based on current constructivist philosophy, organized around 5E inquiry, and guided by the National Science Education Teaching Standards. Written in a reader-friendly style, the…

  17. The Science Program in Small Rural Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colton, R. W.

    Rural schools may have an advantage over urban schools in science teaching if sciences are perceived as means of exploring our surroundings, are presented as many viewpoints of one overall picture, and are taught in a form that deals with human situations. Collaboratively taught, rural science curricula can include study of agricultural ecology,…

  18. The rich club phenomenon in the classroom

    PubMed Central

    Vaquero, Luis M.; Cebrian, Manuel

    2013-01-01

    We analyse the evolution of the online interactions held by college students and report on novel relationships between social structure and performance. Our results indicate that more frequent and intense social interactions generally imply better score for students engaging in them. We find that these interactions are hosted within a “rich-club”, mediated by persistent interactions among high performing students, which is created during the first weeks of the course. Low performing students try to engage in the club after it has been initially formed, and fail to produce reciprocity in their interactions, displaying more transient interactions and higher social diversity. Furthermore, high performance students exchange information by means of complex information cascades, from which low performing students are selectively excluded. Failure to engage in the rich club eventually decreases these students' communication activity towards the end of the course. PMID:23378908

  19. The effect of the flipped classroom on urban high school students' motivation and academic achievement in a high school science course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dixon, Keshia L.

    This study investigated the effect of the flipped classroom on urban high school students' motivation and academic achievement in a high school science course. In this quantitative study, the sample population was comprised of North Star High School 12th grade students enrolled in human anatomy and physiology. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest non-equivalent group design was conducted. After receipt of Liberty University Institutional Review Board approval and the school district's Department of Research and Evaluation for School Improvement, students completed a pretest comprised of the Science Motivation Questionnaire II (SMQ-II) and the Human Anatomy and Physiology Unit Test. Participants in the experimental group engaged in the treatment, the flipped classroom, using instructional materials on the educational website, Edmodo(TM), and applied content material taught using hands-on activities inclusive of assigned laboratory experiments. Participants in the control group received instruction using traditional face-to-face lecture-homework format while also engaging in assigned laboratory experiments. After the completion of the treatment all participants completed a posttest. Data from both the pretest and posttest was statistically analyzed individually using two separate one-way ANOVA/ANCOVA analyses; and researcher reported the results of the statistical analyses. After completion of the analyses, and interpretation of the results, recommendations for future research were given.

  20. ELEMENTARY SCIENCE OUTLINE, A GUIDE TO SUGGESTED CURRICULUM PRACTICES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCIENCE.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    KARTSOTIS, A. THOMAS; MESSERSCHMIDT, RALPH M.

    THE COMMITTEE ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCIENCE OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SCHOOL STUDY COUNCIL REPORTS THEIR WORK ON SUGGESTED CURRICULUM FOR GRADES 1-6. THE BELIEF IS THAT SCIENCE IS A MAJOR STUDY AREA IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO ALL PUPILS IN A PLANNED LEARNING SEQUENCE, WITH DUE CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN TO THE MATURITY OF THE CHILD.…

  1. School Libraries and Science Achievement: A View from Michigan's Middle Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mardis, Marcia

    2007-01-01

    If strong school library media centers (SLMCs) positively impact middle school student reading achievement, as measured on standardized tests, are they also beneficial for middle school science achievement? To answer this question, the researcher built upon the statistical analyses used in previous school library impact studies with qualitative…

  2. Chinese Obstetrics & Gynecology journal club: a randomised controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    Tsui, Ilene K; Dodson, William C; Kunselman, Allen R; Kuang, Hongying; Han, Feng-Juan; Legro, Richard S; Wu, Xiao-Ke

    2016-01-01

    Objectives To assess whether a journal club model could improve comprehension and written and spoken medical English in a population of Chinese medical professionals. Setting and participants The study population consisted of 52 medical professionals who were residents or postgraduate master or PhD students in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, China. Intervention After a three-part baseline examination to assess medical English comprehension, participants were randomised to either (1) an intensive journal club treatment arm or (2) a self-study group. At the conclusion of the 8-week intervention participants (n=52) were re-tested with new questions. Outcome measures The primary outcome was the change in score on a multiple choice examination. Secondary outcomes included change in scores on written and oral examinations which were modelled on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Results Both groups had improved scores on the multiple choice examination without a statistically significant difference between them (90% power). However, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups in mean improvement in scores for both written (95% CI 1.1 to 5.0; p=0.003) and spoken English (95% CI 0.06 to 3.7; p=0.04) favouring the journal club intervention. Conclusions Interacting with colleagues and an English-speaking facilitator in a journal club improved both written and spoken medical English in Chinese medical professionals. Journal clubs may be suitable for use as a self-sustainable teaching model to improve fluency in medical English in foreign medical professionals. Trial registration number NCT01844609. PMID:26823180

  3. Anesthesiology Journal club assessment by means of semantic changes.

    PubMed

    Vieira, Joaquim Edson; Torres, Marcelo Luís Abramides; Pose, Regina Albanese; Auler, José Otávio Costa Junior

    2014-01-01

    the interactive approach of a journal club has been described in the medical education literature. The aim of this investigation is to present an assessment of journal club as a tool to address the question whether residents read more and critically. this study reports the performance of medical residents in anesthesiology from the Clinics Hospital - University of São Paulo Medical School. All medical residents were invited to answer five questions derived from discussed papers. The answer sheet consisted of an affirmative statement with a Likert type scale (totally disagree-disagree-not sure-agree-totally agree), each related to one of the chosen articles. The results were evaluated by means of item analysis - difficulty index and discrimination power. residents filled one hundred and seventy three evaluations in the months of December 2011 (n=51), July 2012 (n=66) and December 2012 (n=56). The first exam presented all items with straight statement, second and third exams presented mixed items. Separating "totally agree" from "agree" increased the difficulty indices, but did not improve the discrimination power. the use of a journal club assessment with straight and inverted statements and by means of five points scale for agreement has been shown to increase its item difficulty and discrimination power. This may reflect involvement either with the reading or the discussion during the journal meeting. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  4. America's Lab Report: Investigations in High School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singer, Susan R., Ed.; Hilton, Margaret L., Ed.; Schweingruber, Heidi A., Ed.

    2005-01-01

    Laboratory experiences as a part of most U.S. high school science curricula have been taken for granted for decades, but they have rarely been carefully examined. What do they contribute to science learning? What can they contribute to science learning? What is the current status of labs in our nation s high schools as a context for learning…

  5. Club Drugs

    MedlinePlus

    ... uses. Other uses of these drugs are abuse. Club drugs are also sometimes used as "date rape" drugs, to make someone unable to say no to or fight back against sexual assault. Abusing these drugs can ...

  6. Ideas for Integrating the Microcomputer with High School Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Podany, Zita

    This report discusses how computers are being used in high school science classrooms. For this report, four high school science teachers were interviewed. The approach to science instruction described in these four interviews deals with the areas of scientific and technological literacy, making science learning fun and attractive, and stimulating…

  7. The effects of hands-on-science instruction on the science achievement of middle school students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiggins, Felita

    Student achievement in the Twenty First Century demands a new rigor in student science knowledge, since advances in science and technology require students to think and act like scientists. As a result, students must acquire proficient levels of knowledge and skills to support a knowledge base that is expanding exponentially with new scientific advances. This study examined the effects of hands-on-science instruction on the science achievement of middle school students. More specifically, this study was concerned with the influence of hands-on science instruction versus traditional science instruction on the science test scores of middle school students. The subjects in this study were one hundred and twenty sixth-grade students in six classes. Instruction involved lecture/discussion and hands-on activities carried out for a three week period. Specifically, the study ascertained the influence of the variables gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on the science test scores of middle school students. Additionally, this study assessed the effect of the variables gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status on the attitudes of sixth grade students toward science. The two instruments used to collect data for this study were the Prentice Hall unit ecosystem test and the Scientific Work Experience Programs for Teachers Study (SWEPT) student's attitude survey. Moreover, the data for the study was treated using the One-Way Analysis of Covariance and the One-Way Analysis of Variance. The following findings were made based on the results: (1) A statistically significant difference existed in the science performance of middle school students exposed to hands-on science instruction. These students had significantly higher scores than the science performance of middle school students exposed to traditional instruction. (2) A statistically significant difference did not exist between the science scores of male and female middle school students. (3) A statistically

  8. Science for All: Empowering Elementary School Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plonczak, Irene

    2008-01-01

    This article addresses issues that are related to the empowerment of elementary teachers through teaching and learning science in socially and culturally meaningful contexts. It is based on the analysis of the attitudes and relationship to science of 10 elementary school teachers from inner city schools in Caracas, Venezuela. In the context of a…

  9. Linkages between Youth Diversity and Organizational and Program Characteristics of Out-of-School-Time Science Programs: A Mixed-Methods Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thiry, Heather; Archie, Timothy; Arreola-Pena, Melissa; Laursen, Sandra

    2017-01-01

    Science opportunities in out-of-school time (OST) programs hold potential for expanding access to science, engineering, and technology (SET) pathways for populations that have not participated in these fields at equitable rates (Coalition for Science After School, 2014). This mixed-methods study examines the relationship between the diversity of…

  10. Science Seminar: Science Capstone Research Projects as a Class in High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schwebach, J. Reid

    2008-01-01

    Inquiry-based, student-lead research may be a pinnacle of high school science education, and the implementation of inquiry themes at all grades is of profound importance. At The Beacon High School in New York City, all seniors, regardless of their scientific proclivity or interest, completed original science research projects as a graduation…

  11. High School Marine Science and Scientific Literacy: The Promise of an Integrated Science Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lambert, Julie

    2006-01-01

    This descriptive study provides a comparison of existing high school marine science curricula and instructional practices used by nine teachers across seven schools districts in Florida and their students' level of scientific literacy, as defined by the national science standards and benchmarks. To measure understandings of science concepts and…

  12. Hands-on optics: an informal science education initiative

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Anthony M.; Pompea, Stephen M.; Arthurs, Eugene G.; Walker, Constance E.; Sparks, Robert T.

    2007-09-01

    The project is collaboration between two scientific societies, the Optical Society of America (OSA) and SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). The program is designed to bring science education enrichment to thousands of underrepresented middle school students in more than ten states, including female and minority students, who typically have not been the beneficiaries of science and engineering resources and investments. HOO provides each teacher with up to six activity modules, each containing enough materials for up to 30 students to participate in 6-8 hours of hands-on optics-related activities. Sample activities, developed by education specialists at NOAO, include building kaleidoscopes and telescopes, communicating with a beam of light, and a hit-the-target laser beam challenge. Teachers engage in two days of training and, where possible, are partnered with a local optics professional (drawn from the local rosters of SPIE and OSA members) who volunteers to spend time with the teacher and students as they explore the module activities. Through these activities, students gain experience and understanding of optics principles, as well as learning the basics of inquiry, critical thinking, and problem solving skills involving optics, and how optics interfaces with other disciplines. While the modules were designed for use in informal after- school or weekend sessions, the number of venues has expanded to large and small science centers, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts, summer camps, family workshops, and use in the classroom.

  13. Scientists, Engineers and the Society of Free Choice: Enrollment as Policy and Practice in Swedish Science and Technology Education 1960-1990

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lövheim, Daniel

    2014-09-01

    This article portrays the formation of a new problem area within Swedish educational policy in the 1960s, namely the need of scientific manpower and the demands to entice more individuals into studies in science and technology. As a consequence school science was given the mission to be interesting, fun and to change young people's attitudes towards these subjects. In the 1970s and 1980s many initiatives were taken to increase the numbers of applicants at high school and university levels, both within curricular frames and out-of-school activities such as science clubs. Through an approach inspired by governmentality studies, I describe the strategies deployed to remedy the problem as rationalities of liberal governmentality. The actions taken were executed in a way to make school children choose science or technology out of their free will. It was an exercise of power that was not meant to restrain but instead to enable action.

  14. Forensic Science Curriculum for High School Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burgess, Christiana J.

    Over the last several decades, forensic science---the application of science to civil and criminal legal matters---has become of increasing popularity with the public. The range of disciplines within the field is immense, offering individuals the potential for a unique career, regardless of their specific interests or expertise. In response to this growth, many organizations, both public and private, have recognized the need to create forensic science programs that strive to maintain and enhance the quality of forensic science education. Unfortunately, most of the emphasis placed on developing these materials relates to post-secondary education, and creates a significant lack of forensic science educational materials available in the U.S., especially in Oklahoma. The purpose of this project was to create a high school curriculum that provides the foundation for building a broad, yet comprehensive, overview of the field of forensic science and its associated disciplines. The overall goal was to create and provide course materials to high school teachers in order to increase their knowledge of forensic science such that they are able to teach its disciplines effectively and with accuracy. The Forensic Science Curriculum for High School Students includes sample lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, and lab activities with step-by-step instructions.

  15. Middle School Science Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1981

    1981-01-01

    Describes activities, demonstrations, and materials suitable for middle school science, including investigations on solar energy, surface tension, exploding cottages, worms and light, airplanes, depolarizing simple cells, and the thermal expansion of metals. (JN)

  16. Secondary School Students' Predictors of Science Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tosun, Cemal; Genç, Murat

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that affect the secondary school students' attitudes in science. This study was conducted using survey method. The sample of the study was 503 students from four different secondary schools in Bartin and Düzce. Data were obtained using the Survey of Factors Affecting Students' Science Attitudes…

  17. Novel Debate-Style Cardiothoracic Surgery Journal Club: Results of a Pilot Curriculum.

    PubMed

    Luc, Jessica G Y; Nguyen, Tom C; Fowler, Clara S; Eisenberg, Steven B; Wolf, Randall K; Estrera, Anthony L; Vaporciyan, Ara A; Antonoff, Mara B

    2017-10-01

    Traditional journal clubs addressing single articles are limited by the lack of a standardized process for conduct and evaluation. We developed a novel, debate-style journal club for trainees to use best available evidence to address controversial topics in cardiothoracic surgery through discussion of realistic patient scenarios. After implementation of our new curriculum, trainee knowledge acquisition and retention were assessed by a summative test of published literature and standardized debate scoring. Feedback was additionally obtained by trainee and faculty surveys. Cardiothoracic surgery trainees (n = 4) participated in five debates each over 10 monthly sessions. Written examination results after debate revealed a nonsignificant improvement in scores on topics that were debated compared with topics that were not (+9.8% versus -4.2%, p = 0.105). Trainee ability to sway the debate position supported by the attendee strongly correlated with trainee use of supporting literature (r = 0.853), moderately correlated with persuasiveness (r = 0.465), and overall effect of the debate (r = 0.625). Surveys completed by trainees and faculty unanimously favored the debate-style journal club as compared to the traditional journal club in gaining familiarity and applying published literature to questions encountered clinically. Our novel debate-style cardiothoracic surgery journal club is an effective educational intervention for cardiothoracic surgery trainees to acquire, retain, and gain practice in applying specialty-specific literature-based evidence to controversial case-based issues. Evaluation by multi-institutional expansion is needed to validate our preliminary findings in this initial trainee cohort. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Making Physics Matter in Primary Schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Flaherty, Jackie; Cox, Wendy; Poole, Amanda; Watson, Jenny; Greygoose, Kirstin

    2016-04-01

    held at Universities. Stargazing evenings and Family Learning Nights where parents join their children to learn about science together are very popular. • Sixth Form Science Ambassadors A-level Physics students (age17-18) are trained as STEM Ambassadors to run after school science clubs for primary schools. I have worked with the British Science Association to develop this scheme and my students have received Gold CREST Awards for their science communication skills. This year, in conjunction with the Royal Institution, we have introduced "Maths for Physics Masterclasses" for gifted and talented primary pupils. Sixth form Space Ambassadors also train their younger peers to use the Bradford University Robotic Space Telescope to take images of planets and stars and to analyse the images. These schemes benefit the primary pupils, the sixth form students who gain invaluable teamwork and science communication skills and the primary teachers who attend these sessions. Initial evaluations have shown a greatly increased engagement in science in primary schools. Many of the schools involved have received the Primary Science Quality Mark.

  19. The experiences of female high school students and interest in STEM: Factors leading to the selection of an engineering or computer science major

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Genoways, Sharon K.

    STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators, which leads to new products and processes that sustain our economy (Hossain & Robinson, 2012). We have been hearing the warnings for several years, that there simply are not enough young scientists entering into the STEM professional pathways to replace all of the retiring professionals (Brown, Brown, Reardon, & Merrill, 2011; Harsh, Maltese, & Tai, 2012; Heilbronner, 2011; Scott, 2012). The problem is not necessarily due to a lack of STEM skills and concept proficiency. There also appears to be a lack of interest in these fields. Recent evidence suggests that many of the most proficient students, especially minority students and women, have been gravitating away from science and engineering toward other professions. (President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2010). The purpose of this qualitative research study was an attempt to determine how high schools can best prepare and encourage young women for a career in engineering or computer science. This was accomplished by interviewing a pool of 21 women, 5 recent high school graduates planning to major in STEM, 5 college students who had completed at least one full year of coursework in an engineering or computer science major and 11 professional women who had been employed as an engineer or computer scientist for at least one full year. These women were asked to share the high school courses, activities, and experiences that best prepared them to pursue an engineering or computer science major. Five central themes emerged from this study; coursework in physics and calculus, promotion of STEM camps and clubs, teacher encouragement of STEM capabilities and careers, problem solving, critical thinking and confidence building activities in the classroom, and allowing students the opportunity to fail and ask questions in a safe environment. These

  20. Middle School Science Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1982

    1982-01-01

    Presents procedures, demonstrations, activities, and teaching suggestions on topics appropriate for middle school science including a simple electrolysis cell, conversion factors, energy, solubilities of salts, condensers, and a worksheet for studying coppice woodlands. (DC)

  1. The Application of an Implementation Science Framework to Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Be a Champion!

    PubMed Central

    Moore, Justin B.; Carson, Russell L.; Webster, Collin A.; Singletary, Camelia R.; Castelli, Darla M.; Pate, Russell R.; Beets, Michael W.; Beighle, Aaron

    2018-01-01

    Comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) have been endorsed as a promising strategy to increase youth physical activity (PA) in school settings. A CSPAP is a five-component approach, which includes opportunities before, during, and after school for PA. Extensive resources are available to public health practitioners and school officials regarding what should be implemented, but little guidance and few resources are available regarding how to effectively implement a CSPAP. Implementation science provides a number of conceptual frameworks that can guide implementation of a CSPAP, but few published studies have employed an implementation science framework to a CSPAP. Therefore, we developed Be a Champion! (BAC), which represents a synthesis of implementation science strategies, modified for application to CSPAPs implementation in schools while allowing for local tailoring of the approach. This article describes BAC while providing examples from the implementation of a CSPAP in three rural elementary schools. PMID:29354631

  2. Out-of-school time activity participation among US--immigrant youth.

    PubMed

    Yu, Stella M; Newport-Berra, McHale; Liu, Jihong

    2015-05-01

    Structured out-of-school time (OST) activities are associated with positive academic and psychosocial outcomes. Data came from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health, restricted to 36,132 youth aged 12-17 years. Logistic regression models were used to examine the joint effects of race/ethnicity and immigrant family type on the participation in OST activities. Compared with US-born (USB) non-Hispanic White youth with USB parents, USB Hispanic youth with USB parents were less likely to participate in sports, whereas non-Hispanic Black youth with immigrant parents were more likely to participate in sports. White youth with at least 1 immigrant parent had higher odds of participating in after-school clubs. All Hispanic youth were less likely to participate in after-school clubs. USB Hispanic youth, USB Black youth, and White youth and "other" youth with at least 1 immigrant parent had higher odds of engaging in community services. Youth from immigrant families had lower odds of doing paid work. Hispanic youth were less likely to participate in OST activities. Non-Hispanic youth with immigrant parents did not engage in fewer OST activities compared with USB White youth with USB parents. Intervention and recruitment strategies for OST activities may need to be customized for immigrant groups. © 2015, American School Health Association.

  3. How to Talk About Science: Lessons from a Middle School Science Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cushman-Patz, B. J.

    2010-12-01

    Middle school students are curious, energetic, and impatient. A middle school science teacher is always challenged to find ways to relate the content she’d like to convey to the students’ everyday lives, working to both satiate and foster their natural curiosity. She must communicate science in language appropriate for her audience, teaching new vocabulary words the first time she uses them, and reviewing them often. A thriving middle school science classroom is noisy, messy, and fun. Understanding what makes this classroom dynamic work can lead to better communication about science to any audience. 1) Know your bottom-line message, and keep it simple. Research science is complicated and nuanced. Your audience may be interested in some of these details, but start with the big picture first, and fill in the details as appropriate. 2) Avoid jargon. Use language that you would use to explain science to your 13-year-old neighbor or your 85-year old grandmother. They know what a volcano is, but they may not know the difference between a crater and a caldera. They definitely don’t know what a phreatomagmatic eruption is. As you introduce necessary jargon into your discussion, define it clearly in terms of something you are sure they do know and understand. 3) Engage the audience. Use pictures; use your hands; use common-reference points. Whenever possible, get the audience members to use their hands to mimic your motion. Encourage them to try to reframe what you say in terms that they’re comfortable with. Make it a two-way conversation 4) Pause. New concepts take time to absorb. Take a breath; give your audience a moment to absorb what you just explained and to formulate questions they may have. 5) Pay attention to cues. Middle school students make it obvious when they’re bored; adults tend to be more subtle. When eyes wander or eyelids droop, ask a question that engages your audience, even if it’s just, “do you follow?” or, “where did I lose you

  4. Adventures in Rocket Science. EG-2007-12-179-MSFC

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huegele, Vince; Hill, Kristy; Terry, Brenda

    2008-01-01

    This guide was prepared as a tool useful for informal education venues (4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.), science clubs and related programs, and can be adopted for formal education settings. An exciting and productive study in rocket science can be implemented using the selected activities for the above-mentioned…

  5. The Language Demands of Science Reading in Middle School

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fang, Zhihui

    2006-04-01

    The language used to construct knowledge, beliefs, and worldviews in school science is distinct from the social language that students use in their everyday ordinary life. This difference is a major source of reading difficulty for many students, especially struggling readers and English-language learners. This article identifies some of the linguistic challenges involved in reading middle-school science texts and suggests several teaching strategies to help students cope with these challenges. It is argued that explicit attention to the unique language of school science should be an integral part of science literacy pedagogy.

  6. Building Potemkin Schools: Science Curriculum Reform in a STEM School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teo, Tang Wee

    2012-01-01

    "Potemkin schools" is used as the phrase to capture what a US science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) public speciality high school becomes as a result of its institutional branding. By way of an examination of the efforts of one teacher drawn into school branding through his "inquiry-based reform" of an Advanced Chemistry course,…

  7. Urban Middle-School Science Teachers Beliefs about the Influence of Their Astronomer-Educator Partnerships on Students' Astronomy Learner Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miranda, Rommel J.

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study investigates the extent to which urban middle-school science teachers' beliefs about their students' astronomy learner characteristics were influenced by their partnership with an astronomer in their classroom. Twelve urban middle-school science teachers were interviewed after their participation in Project ASTRO during the…

  8. An Assessment of Factors Relating to High School Students' Science Self-Efficacy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gibson, Jakeisha Jamice

    parental activities, and (c) the teachers rated student's interest in the science OST programs as high. Student comments on the survey and the qualitative analysis by trained coders revealed that success of the program was related to the collaborative and hands-on activities/projects of their OST program. In addition, students felt more involved in projects during after-school and weekend activities than in OST lunch break programs.

  9. The Application of School Science by Urban High School Youth through Problem-Solving in Everyday Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gitari, Wanja

    2016-01-01

    This qualitative study investigated non-guided applications of school science by high school youth in Ontario in non-school contexts. Although science education (in Ontario and elsewhere) mostly focuses on the meaningful learning of science, learning that can lead to knowledge application, non-guided application of acquired knowledge is rarely…

  10. Middle School Students' Attitudes toward Science, Scientists, Science Teachers and Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kapici, Hasan Özgür; Akçay, Hakan

    2016-01-01

    It is an indispensable fact that having a positive attitude towards science is one of the important factors that promotes students for studying in science. The study is a kind of national study that aims to investigate middle school students', from different regions of Turkey, attitudes toward science, scientists and science classes. The study was…

  11. Science in the Scottish Primary School Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peacock, Alan

    2005-01-01

    When one begins to look at science in primary schools elsewhere, one is immediately struck by the fact that those in England are the odd-ones-out. Hence this is the second in a series of articles looking at how science is dealt with in other systems, beginning with England's immediate neighbours and then looking outwards towards school systems in…

  12. Students' motivational beliefs in science learning, school motivational contexts, and science achievement in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Cheng-Lung; Liou, Pey-Yan

    2017-05-01

    Taiwanese students are featured as having high academic achievement but low motivational beliefs according to the serial results of the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Moreover, given that the role of context has become more important in the development of academic motivation theory, this study aimed to examine the relationship between motivational beliefs and science achievement at both the student and school levels. Based on the Expectancy-Value Theory, the three motivational beliefs, namely self-concept, intrinsic value, and utility value, were the focuses of this study. The two-level hierarchical linear model was used to analyse the Taiwanese TIMSS 2011 eighth-grade student data. The results indicated that each motivational belief had a positive predictive effect on science achievement. Additionally, a positive school contextual effect of self-concept on science achievement was identified. Furthermore, school-mean utility value had a negative moderating effect on the relationship between utility value and science achievement. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the functioning of motivational beliefs in science learning among Taiwanese adolescents with consideration of the school motivational contexts.

  13. Prevalence of health promotion policies in sports clubs in Victoria, Australia.

    PubMed

    Dobbinson, Suzanne Jane; Hayman, Jane Amanda; Livingston, Patricia Mary

    2006-06-01

    In recent years, some health agencies offered sponsorship to sporting associations to promote healthy environments by encouraging clubs to develop health-related policies. However, the extent to which these sponsorship contracts reach their stated aims is of concern. This study aimed to quantify levels of policy development and practice in sports clubs for each of five key health areas, namely smoke-free facilities, sun protection, healthy catering, responsible serving of alcohol and sports injury prevention. Representatives from 932 Victorian sports clubs were contacted by telephone with 640 clubs (69%) participating in the survey. Results suggested that the establishment of written policies on the key health areas by sports clubs varied widely by affiliated sport and health area: 70% of all clubs with bar facilities had written policies on responsible serving of alcohol, ranging from 58% of tennis clubs to 100% of diving and surfing clubs. In contrast, approximately one-third of sports clubs had a smoke-free policy, with 36% of tennis, 28% of country football and 28% of men's cricket clubs having policy. Moreover, 34% of clubs overall had established sun protection policy, whereas clubs competing outside during summer months, [diving (86%) and life-saving (81%)] were most likely to have a written sun protection policy. Injury prevention policies were established in 30% of sports clubs, and were most common among football (56%), diving (43%) and life-saving (41%). This study suggests that policy development for health promotion can be achieved in sports clubs when it is well supported by health agencies and consideration is given to the appropriateness of the specific behaviours to be encouraged for a given sport. Communication between associations and clubs needs to be monitored by health agencies to ensure support and resources for policy development to reach the club level.

  14. Global emergency medicine journal club: social media responses to the march 2014 annals of emergency medicine journal club on targeted temperature management.

    PubMed

    Thoma, Brent; Rolston, Daniel; Lin, Michelle

    2014-08-01

    In March 2014, Annals of Emergency Medicine continued a successful collaboration with an academic Web site, Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM), to host another Global Emergency Medicine Journal Club session featuring the 2013 New England Journal of Medicine article "Targeted Temperature Management at 33°C (91.4°F) Versus 36°C (96.8°F) After Cardiac Arrest" by Nielsen et al. This online journal club used Twitter conversations, a live videocast with the authors, and detailed discussions on the ALiEM Web site's comment section. This summary article details the community discussion, shared insights, and analytic data generated using this novel, multiplatform approach. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Starting a Planet Protectors Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Environmental Protection Agency, 2007

    2007-01-01

    If your mission is to teach children how to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste and create the next generation of Planet Protectors, perhaps leading a Planet Protectors Club is part of your future challenges. You don't have to be an expert in waste reduction and recycling to lead a a Planet Protectors Club. You don't even have to be a teacher. You do…

  16. Elementary school children's science learning from school field trips

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glick, Marilyn Petty

    This research examines the impact of classroom anchoring activities on elementary school students' science learning from a school field trip. Although there is prior research demonstrating that students can learn science from school field trips, most of this research is descriptive in nature and does not examine the conditions that enhance or facilitate such learning. The current study draws upon research in psychology and education to create an intervention that is designed to enhance what students learn from school science field trips. The intervention comprises of a set of "anchoring" activities that include: (1) Orientation to context, (2) Discussion to activate prior knowledge and generate questions, (3) Use of field notebooks during the field trip to record observations and answer questions generated prior to field trip, (4) Post-visit discussion of what was learned. The effects of the intervention are examined by comparing two groups of students: an intervention group which receives anchoring classroom activities related to their field trip and an equivalent control group which visits the same field trip site for the same duration but does not receive any anchoring classroom activities. Learning of target concepts in both groups was compared using objective pre and posttests. Additionally, a subset of students in each group were interviewed to obtain more detailed descriptive data on what children learned through their field trip.

  17. A National Survey of Middle and High School Science Teachers' Responses to Standardized Testing: Is Science Being Devalued in Schools?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aydeniz, Mehmet; Southerland, Sherry A.

    2012-01-01

    This study explored American high school and middle school science teachers' attitudes toward the use of standardized testing for accountability purposes, their justification for the attitudes they hold and the impact of standardized testing on their instructional and assessment practices. A total of 161 science teachers participated in the study.…

  18. High School Science Teachers' Views on Science Process Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gultepe, Nejla

    2016-01-01

    The current research is a descriptive study in which a survey model was used. The research involved chemistry (n = 26), physics (n = 27), and biology (n = 29) teachers working in Science High Schools and Anatolian High Schools in Turkey. An inventory that consisted of seven questions was designed to ascertain what teachers' think about the…

  19. Dancing with Ethnic Identities: An Aboriginal Dance Club in a Taiwanese Middle School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Shwu-Meei; Lee, Young Ah

    2015-01-01

    Research in Taiwan has shown that aboriginal students often have low self-esteem and a negative view of their life due to their heritage. This research studied 14 Taiwan aboriginal students to understand how the experience of an aboriginal dance club influenced the development of their ethnic identity. The results showed that the experiences of…

  20. Chinese Obstetrics & Gynecology journal club: a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Tsui, Ilene K; Dodson, William C; Kunselman, Allen R; Kuang, Hongying; Han, Feng-Juan; Legro, Richard S; Wu, Xiao-Ke

    2016-01-28

    To assess whether a journal club model could improve comprehension and written and spoken medical English in a population of Chinese medical professionals. The study population consisted of 52 medical professionals who were residents or postgraduate master or PhD students in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, China. After a three-part baseline examination to assess medical English comprehension, participants were randomised to either (1) an intensive journal club treatment arm or (2) a self-study group. At the conclusion of the 8-week intervention participants (n=52) were re-tested with new questions. The primary outcome was the change in score on a multiple choice examination. Secondary outcomes included change in scores on written and oral examinations which were modelled on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Both groups had improved scores on the multiple choice examination without a statistically significant difference between them (90% power). However, there was a statistically significant difference between the groups in mean improvement in scores for both written (95% CI 1.1 to 5.0; p=0.003) and spoken English (95% CI 0.06 to 3.7; p=0.04) favouring the journal club intervention. Interacting with colleagues and an English-speaking facilitator in a journal club improved both written and spoken medical English in Chinese medical professionals. Journal clubs may be suitable for use as a self-sustainable teaching model to improve fluency in medical English in foreign medical professionals. NCT01844609. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  1. How to run an effective journal club: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Deenadayalan, Y; Grimmer-Somers, K; Prior, M; Kumar, S

    2008-10-01

    Health-based journal clubs have been in place for over 100 years. Participants meet regularly to critique research articles, to improve their understanding of research design, statistics and critical appraisal. However, there is no standard process of conducting an effective journal club. We conducted a systematic literature review to identify core processes of a successful health journal club. We searched a range of library databases using established keywords. All research designs were initially considered to establish the body of evidence. Experimental or comparative papers were then critically appraised for methodological quality and information was extracted on effective journal club processes. We identified 101 articles, of which 21 comprised the body of evidence. Of these, 12 described journal club effectiveness. Methodological quality was moderate. The papers described many processes of effective journal clubs. Over 80% papers reported that journal club intervention was effective in improving knowledge and critical appraisal skills. Few papers reported on the psychometric properties of their outcome instruments. No paper reported on the translation of evidence from journal club into clinical practice. Characteristics of successful journal clubs included regular and anticipated meetings, mandatory attendance, clear long- and short-term purpose, appropriate meeting timing and incentives, a trained journal club leader to choose papers and lead discussion, circulating papers prior to the meeting, using the internet for wider dissemination and data storage, using established critical appraisal processes and summarizing journal club findings.

  2. Making Sense of Integrated Science: A Guide for High Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, Colorado Springs.

    This guide outlines the initial work and includes recommendations for schools and districts on how to implement an integrated science program. Chapters include: (1) "What Is Integrated Science and What Does It Look Like at the High School Level?"; (2) "Coherence in High School Science" (F. James Rutherford); (3) "Thinking about Change: What Will…

  3. The key factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheung, Derek

    2018-01-01

    Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The present study aimed to address this gap, using a mixed methods design. Qualitative interview data were collected from 60 Hong Kong junior secondary school students, who were asked to describe the nature of their interest in science lessons and the factors to which they attribute this. Teacher interviews, parent interviews, and classroom observations were conducted to triangulate student interview data. Five factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons were identified: situational influences in science lessons, individual interest in science, science self-concept, grade level, and gender. Quantitative data were then collected from 591 students using a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was applied to test a hypothesised model, which provided an acceptable fit to the student data. The strongest factor affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons was science self-concept, followed by individual interest in science and situational influences in science lessons. Grade level and gender were found to be nonsignificant factors. These findings suggest that teachers should pay special attention to the association between academic self-concept and interest if they want to motivate students to learn science at school.

  4. Health Promotion Guidance Activity of Youth Sports Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kokko, Sami; Kannas, Lasse; Villberg, Jari; Ormshaw, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to clarify the extent to which youth sports clubs guide their coaches to recognise health promotion as a part of the coaching practice. The guidance activity of clubs is seen parallel to internal organisational communication. Design/methodology/approach: A survey of 93 (from 120, 78 per cent) youth sports clubs in Finland…

  5. Profiles of State-Supported Residential Math and Science Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Brent M.

    2009-01-01

    Unless we sharply increase the training of homegrown math and science talents, we may suffer negative economic and technological consequences. One means of addressing this challenge has been through specialty schools devoted to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training. In 1980, the North Carolina School of Science and…

  6. Opinions and knowledge about climate change science in high school students.

    PubMed

    Harker-Schuch, Inez; Bugge-Henriksen, Christian

    2013-10-01

    This study investigates the influence of knowledge on opinions about climate change in the emerging adults' age group (16-17 years). Furthermore, the effects of a lecture in climate change science on knowledge and opinions were assessed. A survey was conducted in Austria and Denmark on 188 students in national and international schools before and after a lecture in climate change science. The results show that knowledge about climate change science significantly affects opinions about climate change. Students with a higher number of correct answers are more likely to have the opinion that humans are causing climate change and that both individuals and governments are responsible for addressing climate change. The lecture in climate change science significantly improved knowledge development but did not affect opinions. Knowledge was improved by 11 % after the lecture. However, the percentage of correct answers was still below 60 % indicating an urgent need for improving climate change science education.

  7. Practices of Productive Adult Book Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beach, Richard; Yussen, Steven

    2011-01-01

    Abstract: This article examines two adult book club members' responses to literary texts over a 23-month period to identify practices that contribute to productive book club participation. Members were interviewed regarding their book selection procedures, preparation for and perceptions of the discussions, and what they valued about the…

  8. Methods and Strategies: Greenteam--A Community Collaboration Celebrates Environmental Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walters, Debi Molina; Oliver, Jill

    2013-01-01

    When teachers, parents, and community members work together, children benefit (Henderson and Mapp 2002). This is especially true when the collaboration is coordinated and focused as it was for the Greenteam, a science ecology club and an event created by a network of educators, elementary students, and science professionals. The club and a…

  9. Science Facilities for Mississippi Schools, Grades 1-12.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mississippi State Dept. of Education, Jackson. Div. of Instruction.

    Prepared to assist those planning the construction of new science facilities on the elementary, intermediate, or secondary school level. Standards are outlined and specifications detailed. A statement of fifteen general pricniples for planning science facilities in secondary schools precedes a discussion of--(1) special facilities for different…

  10. How Do Turkish Middle School Science Coursebooks Present the Science Process Skills?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aslan, Oktay

    2015-01-01

    An important objective in science education is the acquisition of science process skills (SPS) by the students. Therefore, science coursebooks, among the main resources of elementary science curricula, are to convey accurate SPS. This study is a qualitative study based on the content analysis of the science coursebooks used at middle schools. In…

  11. Science in Elementary School: Generalist Genes and School Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haworth, Claire M. A.; Kovas, Yulia; Dale, Philip S.; Plomin, Robert

    2008-01-01

    Using a genetically sensitive design, we investigated the etiology of academic performance in Science in elementary school, and its etiological links with other academic abilities and general cognitive ability ("g"). The sample consisted of over 2000 pairs of twins at 10 years of age from the Twins Early Development Study. Science performance, as…

  12. SciTech Clubs for Girls. [Final report], September 1, 1991--April 30, 1994

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

    Malamud, E.; Diaz, O.; Cox, J.

    1994-12-31

    The program of SciTech Clubs for Girls and its progress are described. This is a program that promotes the learning of science and mathematics by girls in the age range of 9 to 13 years through the process of building exhibits and learning from local professionals. A list of exhibits and a critique of the program are given.

  13. Teaching Science Out-of-School with Special Reference to Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meyer, G. Rex, Ed.; Rao, A. N., Ed.

    This book contains a selection of previously unpublished papers from an international Asian symposium on out-of-school science activities. These papers include: "Educational and Social Values of Out-of-School Science" (Peter Kelly); "School Versus Out-of-School: An Artificial Dichotomy" (William Mayer); "Biology of…

  14. The long-term impact of a math, science and technology program on grade school girls

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sullivan, Sandra Judd

    The purpose of this study was to determine if a math, science, and technology intervention program improved grade school girls' attitudes and stereotypes toward science and scientists, as well as participation levels in science-related activities, two years after their participating in the program. The intervention program evaluated was Operation SMART, developed by Girls Incorporated. Participants were recruited from the 6th and 7th grades from two public middle schools in Northern California. One hundred twenty-seven girls signed up for the survey and were assigned to either the SMART group (previous SMART participants) or Non-SMART group (no previous experience with SMART). The survey consisted of five parts: (1) a background information sheet, (2) the Modified Attitudes Toward Science Inventory, (3) the What Do You Do? survey, (4) the Draw-A-Scientist Test-Revised, and (5) a career interests and role models/influencer survey. Results indicated that there were no significant differences between the SMART and Non-SMART groups on any of the test measures. However, middle school attended did have a significant effect on the outcome variables. Girls from Middle School A reported more positive attitudes toward science, while girls from Middle School B reported higher participation levels in extracurricular science activities. Possible explanations for these findings suggest too much time had passed between treatment effect and time of measurement as well as the strong influence of teacher and school environment on girls' attitudes and stereotypes. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

  15. Young "Science Ambassadors" Raise the Profile of Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ridley, Katie

    2014-01-01

    Katie Ridley, science coordinator at St. Gregory's Catholic Primary School, Liverpool, UK, states that the inspiration for "science ambassadors" came after embarking on the Primary Science Quality Mark programme at their school. Ridley realized that science was just not recognised as such by the children, they talked about scientific…

  16. Transformative Multicultural Science curriculum: A case study of middle school robotics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grimes, Mary Katheryn

    Multicultural Science has been a topic of research and discourse over the past several years. However, most of the literature concerning this topic (or paradigm) has centered on programs in tribal or Indigenous schools. Under the framework of instructional congruence, this case study explored how elementary and middle school students in a culturally diverse charter school responded to a Multicultural Science program. Furthermore, this research sought to better understand the dynamics of teaching and learning strategies used within the paradigm of Multicultural Science. The school's Robotics class, a class typically stereotyped as fitting within the misconceptions associated with the Western Modern Science paradigm, was the center of this case study. A triangulation of data consisted of class observations throughout two semesters; pre and post student science attitude surveys; and interviews with individual students, Robotic student teams, the Robotics class instructor, and school administration. Three themes emerged from the data that conceptualized the influence of a Multicultural Science curriculum with ethnically diverse students in a charter school's Robotics class. Results included the students' perceptions of a connection between science (i.e., Robotics) and their personal lives, a positive growth in the students' attitude toward science (and engineering), and a sense of personal empowerment toward being successful in science. However, also evident in the findings were the students' stereotypical attitudes toward science (and scientists) and their lack of understanding of the Nature of Science. Implications from this study include suggestions toward the development of Multicultural Science curricula in public schools. Modifications in university science methods courses to include the Multicultural Science paradigm are also suggested.

  17. Nursing journal clubs and the clinical nurse specialist.

    PubMed

    Westlake, Cheryl; Albert, Nancy M; Rice, Karen L; Bautista, Cynthia; Close, Jackie; Foster, Jan; Timmerman, Gayle M

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this article was to describe the clinical nurse specialist's role in developing and implementing a journal club. Tools for critiquing clinical and research articles with an application of each are provided. The journal club provides a forum through which nurses maintain their knowledge base about clinically relevant topics and developments in their specific clinical discipline, analyze and synthesize the relevant scientific literature as evidence, and engage in informal discussions about evidence-based and best practices. The value of journal clubs includes nursing staff education, review of and support for evidence-based practice, promotion of nursing research, and fostering of organization-wide nursing practice changes. The process for establishing a journal club and suggested appraisal tools are discussed. In addition, strategies for overcoming barriers to the implementation of a journal club are outlined. Suggested article review questions and a reporting format for clinical and research articles are provided with examples from 2 articles. Finally, a glossary of terms commonly used by research scientists and manuscript writers are listed and additional resources provided. The clinical nurse specialist's role in developing and implementing a journal club will be facilitated through the use of this article. Enhanced nursing staff education, evidence-based practice, organization-wide nursing practice changes, and nursing research may be conducted following the implementation of a nursing journal club.

  18. Adolescents' goal orientations for science in single-gender Israeli religious schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fortus, David; Daphna, Limor

    2017-01-01

    Israeli students and their families can choose between state-funded secular, religious, orthodox, and other alternative schools (e.g., Waldorf, Montessori, democratic). Earlier studies showed that the motivation to engage with science differs greatly between Israeli students in secular schools and democratic schools, with these differences being attributed to differences in school culture rather than home influence (Vedder-Weiss & Fortus, 2011, 2012). In this study we extend earlier studies by looking at religious state-funded schools that serve 18% of Israel's Jewish population. These schools provide a unique research environment since from grade 6 they are gender-separated. We examined the science-related mastery, performance-approach, and performance-avoid goal orientations, perceptions of the science teachers, parents, schools, and peers' goal emphases in relation to science of the students in these schools. We compared between students in religious schools (newly collected data) and secular schools (data reported in prior studies), and found that there is a distinct difference between these two populations that is associated with differing attitudes toward gender and science at these schools. This study provides additional evidence for the influence of culture on students' motivation to engage with science, suggests mechanisms by which this influence may occur.

  19. Reflection after Teaching a Lesson: Experiences of Secondary School Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halstead, Melissa A.

    2017-01-01

    Secondary science teachers spend most of their time planning, collaborating, and teaching, but spend little time reflecting after teaching a single lesson. The theoretical framework of the adult learning theory and the transformative learning theory was the basis of this study. This qualitative research study was conducted to understand the…

  20. SciTech Clubs for Girls. [Annual] technical report

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

    Nogal, A.M.

    1993-02-01

    Since January 1992, 9 exhibits have been constructed by the SciTech Clubs for Girls, which involved 63 girls, ages 10 to 14. These exhibits are: Bubble Shapes by the St. Charles Cadette Girl Scout Troop No. 109. Density Games by the South Elgin Cadette Girl Scout Troop No. 132. Electric Fleas by the Warrenville Junior Girl Scout Troop No. 305. Energy vs. Power by the Aurora Junior Girl Scout Troop No. 242. The Organ Pipe by the Bartlett Junior Girl Scout Troop No. 107. Ohm`s Law by the Geneva Junior Girl Scout Troop No. 401. What is Gravity by themore » Pilsen YMCA girls. Insulation at Work by the Algonquin Junior Girl Scout Troop No. 303. Series vs. Parallel by the Leland Junior Girl Scout Troop No. 50. The report is a description of each exhibit and the group that built the exhibit. Each group had a minimum of 10 hours of contact time at SciTech with the SciTech Clubs for Girls Program Coordinator. All mentors are female. Each exhibit building experience includes a trip to the hardware store to purchase supplies. After the exhibit is complete, the girls receive certificates of achievement and a SciTech Club Patch.« less

  1. Environmental Science for All? Considering Environmental Science for Inclusion in the High School Core Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edelson, Daniel C.

    2007-01-01

    With the dramatic growth of environmental science as an elective in high schools over the last decade, educators have the opportunity to realistically consider the possibility of incorporating environmental science into the core high school curriculum. Environmental science has several characteristics that make it a candidate for the core…

  2. Who Wants to Learn More Science? The Role of Elementary School Science Experiences and Science Self-Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aschbacher, Pamela R.; Ing, Marsha

    2017-01-01

    Background/Context: Much science education reform has been directed at middle and high school students; however, earlier experiences in elementary school may well have an important impact on young people's future science literacy and preparation for possible STEM careers. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study explores the…

  3. Ghanaian Junior High School Science Teachers' Knowledge of Contextualised Science Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngman-Wara, Ernest I. D.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate Junior High School science teachers' knowledge about contextualised science instruction. The study employed descriptive survey design to collect data. A test, Test of Science Teacher Knowledge of Contextualised Science Instruction was developed and administered to collect data on teachers' knowledge of…

  4. An Assessment of Science Teachers' Perceptions of Secondary School Environments in Taiwan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Shwu-Yong L.

    2006-01-01

    This study investigates the psychosocial environments of secondary schools from science teachers’ perspectives, as well as associated variables. Using a sample of 900 secondary science teachers from 52 schools in Taiwan, the results attest to the validity and reliability of the instrument, the Science Teacher School Environment Questionnaire, and its ability to differentiate among schools. The descriptive results show that a majority of science teachers positively perceived their school environments. The teachers reported high collegiality, good teacher student relations, effective principal leadership, strong professional interest, and low work pressure—but also low staff freedom. Multiple regression results further indicate that policy-relevant variables like school level, school location, and teachers’ intentions to stay in teaching were associated with science teachers’ perceptions of their school environments. Qualitative data analysis based on interviews of 34 science teachers confirmed and enriched these findings.

  5. Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duschl, Richard A., Ed.; Schweingruber, Heidi A., Ed.; Shouse, Andrew W., Ed.

    2007-01-01

    What is science for a child? How do children learn about science and how to do science? Drawing on a vast array of work from neuroscience to classroom observation, "Taking Science to School" provides a comprehensive picture of what we know about teaching and learning science from kindergarten through eighth grade. By looking at a broad range of…

  6. Exploring Connections Between Earth Science and Biology - Interdisciplinary Science Activities for Schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vd Flier-Keller, E.; Carolsfeld, C.; Bullard, T.

    2009-05-01

    To increase teaching of Earth science in schools, and to reflect the interdisciplinary nature and interrelatedness of science disciplines in today's world, we are exploring opportunities for linking Earth science and Biology through engaging and innovative hands-on science activities for the classroom. Through the NSERC-funded Pacific CRYSTAL project based at the University of Victoria, scientists, science educators, and teachers at all levels in the school system are collaborating to research ways of enriching the preparation of students in math and science, and improving the quality of science education from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Our primary foci are building authentic, engaging science experiences for students, and fostering teacher leadership through teacher professional development and training. Interdisciplinary science activities represent an important way of making student science experiences real, engaging and relevant, and provide opportunities to highlight Earth science related topics within other disciplines, and to expand the Earth science taught in schools. The Earth science and Biology interdisciplinary project builds on results and experiences of existing Earth science education activities, and the Seaquaria project. We are developing curriculum-linked activities and resource materials, and hosting teacher workshops, around two initial areas; soils, and marine life and the fossil record. An example activity for the latter is the hands-on examination of organisms occupying the nearshore marine environment using a saltwater aquarium and touch tank or beach fieldtrip, and relating this to a suite of marine fossils to facilitate student thinking about representation of life in the fossil record e.g. which life forms are typically preserved, and how are they preserved? Literacy activities such as fossil obituaries encourage exploration of paleoenvironments and life habits of fossil organisms. Activities and resources are being tested with teachers

  7. Influence of Joyful Learning on Elementary School Students’ Attitudes Toward Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anggoro, S.; Sopandi, W.; Sholehuddin, M.

    2017-02-01

    This study investigated the effects of joyful learning approach on elementary school students’ attitudes toward science. The method used is quasy experiment with the participants were divided into two groups. Thirty three of 4th grade students volunteered as an experimental group, and the other forty two act as a control group. The data was collected by questionnaire that are given before and after the lesson, observation sheet, and interview. The effect of joyful learning on students’ attitude was obtained by determining the n-gain and independent t-test. Observation and interview results were used to triangulate and support the quantitative findings. The data showed that the gain scores of the experimental group students’ attitudes toward science were significantly higher than the gain scores of control group. In addition, the experimental group made significantly greater progress in their cognitive, affective and conative experiences. Interviews and observations indicated that their attitude toward science changed over the intervention. This indicated that joyful learning approach can enhance the elementary school students’ attitudes toward science. According to these findings, it can be concluded that joyful learning approach can be used as an alternative approach to improve student’s attitude toward science.

  8. Supporting Struggling Readers in Secondary School Science Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberts, Kelly D.; Takahashi, Kiriko; Park, Hye-Jin; Stodden, Robert A.

    2012-01-01

    Many secondary school students struggle to read complex expository text such as science textbooks. This article provides step-by-step guidance on how to foster expository reading for struggling readers in secondary school science classes. Two strategies are introduced: Text-to-Speech (TTS) Software as a reading compensatory strategy and the…

  9. The Eco-Club: A Place for the Becoming Active Citizen?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Elsa Ukanyezi

    2017-01-01

    This paper makes a twofold contribution. Firstly it presents a typology of eco-clubs that can be used to contextualise eco-club observations by researchers and can support management of eco-clubs by practitioners. Secondly it explains how participation in eco-clubs provides a space for a child to both enact and develop as a citizen, a place for…

  10. Teaching Photovoltaics: From Grammar School to Graduate School

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahrenkiel, Richard

    2009-05-01

    Photovoltaics (PV) has certainly become the topic of the times in economic and political circles. I have had the opportunity to teach some aspect of the subject at a wide range of educational levels. I taught a graduate course, as an Adjunct Professor at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM), over the time period from 1990 to 2000. As a consequence of various outreach programs, like those sponsored by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, I have given presentations to audiences ranging from grammar school to high school. I have given another type of presentation to the service clubs like Rotary International and Kiwanis Clubs. Finally, in recent years and the rapid growth of the photovoltaic industry, I have been asked to give a basic presentation to business people with modest technical backgrounds. Each audience presents a different set of challenges and each requires a different type of presentation.

  11. Effective Sports Club Administration-National Intramural Sports Council (NISC).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, R. Wayne, Ed.

    1979-01-01

    Seven articles focusing on policies and procedures for effective sports club administration are presented. Cooney discusses clubs within total programs, Jeter relates clubs to varsity athletics. Teague analyzes administrative personnel; Maas and Lohmiller discuss local and national councils; Palmateer approaches funding; and Edwards handles travel…

  12. Middle School Girls' Science Motivation and Performance: Cognitive Effects of an Out-of-School Time Program with Nutrition and Fitness Components

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gatz, Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    Middle school is a critical period in the cognitive and academic development of young women, and a time when their performance and interest in science may decline. After school programs play a key role in engaging youth in learning by providing opportunities to increase health and wellness, set goals, and strategize problem solving. Skills…

  13. Middle School Science Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1983

    1983-01-01

    Demonstrations, experiments, and classroom activities/materials for middle school science are presented. These include: additive color mixing demonstration; electricity activity and worksheet; atmospheric pressure "magic" demonstration; homemade microbalance; energy from soap bubbles; and a model used to demonstrate muscle pairs and how…

  14. A Rich-Club Organization in Brain Ischemia Protein Interaction Network

    PubMed Central

    Alawieh, Ali; Sabra, Zahraa; Sabra, Mohammed; Tomlinson, Stephen; Zaraket, Fadi A.

    2015-01-01

    Ischemic stroke involves multiple pathophysiological mechanisms with complex interactions. Efforts to decipher those mechanisms and understand the evolution of cerebral injury is key for developing successful interventions. In an innovative approach, we use literature mining, natural language processing and systems biology tools to construct, annotate and curate a brain ischemia interactome. The curated interactome includes proteins that are deregulated after cerebral ischemia in human and experimental stroke. Network analysis of the interactome revealed a rich-club organization indicating the presence of a densely interconnected hub structure of prominent contributors to disease pathogenesis. Functional annotation of the interactome uncovered prominent pathways and highlighted the critical role of the complement and coagulation cascade in the initiation and amplification of injury starting by activation of the rich-club. We performed an in-silico screen for putative interventions that have pleiotropic effects on rich-club components and we identified estrogen as a prominent candidate. Our findings show that complex network analysis of disease related interactomes may lead to a better understanding of pathogenic mechanisms and provide cost-effective and mechanism-based discovery of candidate therapeutics. PMID:26310627

  15. Club Drug Use among Young Adults Frequenting Dance Clubs and Other Social Venues in New York City

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parsons, Jeffrey T.; Halkitis, Perry N.; Bimbi, David S.

    2006-01-01

    A convenience sample of young adults (ages 18-25) in New York City was recruited to complete anonymous surveys in social venues (either dance clubs or other social settings, such as coffee shops and university "hangouts") regarding their use of "club drugs" (e.g., MDMA/Ecstasy, GHB, ketamine, crystal methamphetamine, cocaine,…

  16. High school science teacher perceptions of the science proficiency testing as mandated by the State of Ohio Board of Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeffery, Samuel Shird

    There is a correlation between the socioeconomic status of secondary schools and scores on the State of Ohio's mandated secondary science proficiency tests. In low scoring schools many reasons effectively explain the low test scores as a result of the low socioeconomics. For example, one reason may be that many students are working late hours after school to help with family finances; parents may simply be too busy providing family income to realize the consequences of the testing program. There are many other personal issues students face that may cause them to score poorly an the test. The perceptions of their teachers regarding the science proficiency test program may be one significant factor. These teacher perceptions are the topic of this study. Two sample groups ware established for this study. One group was science teachers from secondary schools scoring 85% or higher on the 12th grade proficiency test in the academic year 1998--1999. The other group consisted of science teachers from secondary schools scoring 35% or less in the same academic year. Each group of teachers responded to a survey instrument that listed several items used to determine teachers' perceptions of the secondary science proficiency test. A significant difference in the teacher' perceptions existed between the two groups. Some of the ranked items on the form include teachers' opinions of: (1) Teaching to the tests; (2) School administrators' priority placed on improving average test scores; (3) Teacher incentive for improving average test scores; (4) Teacher teaching style change as a result of the testing mandate; (5) Teacher knowledge of State curriculum model; (6) Student stress as a result of the high-stakes test; (7) Test cultural bias; (8) The tests in general.

  17. Food Chains, Frenemies, and Revenge Fantasies: Relating Fiction to Life in a Girls' Book Club

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taber, Nancy; Woloshyn, Vera; Lane, Laura

    2012-01-01

    In this article, we explore the experiences of four girls with reading difficulties who participated in a book club designed to promote critical discussion of sociocultural gendered issues. Using the book "Dork diaries: Tales from a NOT-SO- fabulous life", they connected content in the book to their lives as relates to school "food…

  18. UK School Students' Attitudes towards Science and Potential Science-Based Careers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Emelia L.; Harrison, Timothy G.

    2012-01-01

    This is a review of literature pertaining to UK secondary school students, their uptake of science at higher levels and their consideration of careers as scientists. As with all countries, the continued uptake of sufficient numbers of science at all levels is in the UK's interest. Unfortunately too many UK secondary students see science as…

  19. The impact of alcohol management practices on sports club membership and revenue.

    PubMed

    Wolfenden, L; Kingsland, M; Rowland, B; Dodds, P; Sidey, M; Sherker, S; Wiggers, J

    2016-04-13

    Issue addressed: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an alcohol management intervention on community sporting club revenue (total annual income) and membership (number of club players, teams and spectators). Methods: The study employed a cluster randomised controlled trial design that allocated clubs either an alcohol accreditation intervention or a control condition. Club representatives completed a scripted telephone survey at baseline and again ~3 years following. Demographic information about clubs was collected along with information about club income. Results: Number of players and senior teams were not significantly different between treatment groups following the intervention. The intervention group, however, showed a significantly higher mean number of spectators. Estimates of annual club income between groups at follow-up showed no significant difference in revenue. Conclusions: This study found no evidence to suggest that efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm in community sporting clubs will compromise club revenue and membership. So what?: These findings suggest that implementation of an intervention to improve alcohol management of sporting clubs may not have the unintended consequence of harming club viability.

  20. Why Children Join and Stay in Sports Clubs: Case Studies in Australian, French and German Swimming Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Light, Richard L.; Harvey, Stephen; Memmert, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    This article builds upon research on youth sport clubs conducted from a socio-cultural perspective by reporting on a study that inquired into the reasons why children aged 9-12 joined swimming clubs in France, Germany and Australia. Comprising three case studies it employed a mixed method approach with results considered within the framework of…

  1. SU-F-E-08: Medical Physics as a Teaching Tool for High School Science Curriculum

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

    Buckley, L

    Purpose: Delivering high school science curriculum in a timely manner and in way that is accessible to all students is a challenge for teachers. Although many high schools offer career workshops, these are typically directed at senior students and do not relate directly to details of the curriculum. The objective of this initiative was to create a series of lectures that use medical physics to relate many aspects of the high school science curriculum to tangible clinical applications and to introduce students to alternate pathways into a career in health sciences. Methods: A series of lectures has been developed basedmore » on the Ontario High School Science Curriculum. Each lecture uses a career in radiotherapy medical physics as the framework for discussion of topics specific to the high school course being addressed. Results: At present, these lectures have been delivered in five area high schools to students ranging from sophomores to seniors. Survey documents are given to the students before and after the lecture to assess their awareness of careers in health care, applications of physics and their general interest in the subject areas. As expected, students have limited up front awareness of the wide variety of health related career paths. The idea of combining a career lecture with topics specific to the classroom curriculum has been well-received by teachers and students alike. Conclusion: Career talks for high school students are useful for students contemplating their post- secondary career path. Relating career discussion with direct course curriculum makes their studies more relevant and engaging. Students aspiring to a career in health sciences often focus their studies on life sciences due to limited knowledge of potential careers. An early introduction to medical physics presents them with an alternate path through the physical sciences into health care.« less

  2. Cultivation of Science Identity through Authentic Science in an Urban High School Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapman, Angela; Feldman, Allan

    2017-01-01

    This study examined how a contextually based authentic science experience affected the science identities of urban high school students who have been marginalized during their K-12 science education. We examined students' perceptions of the intervention as an authentic science experience, how the experience influenced their science identity, as…

  3. Science Process Skills and Attitudes toward Science among Palestinian Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zeidan, Afif Hafez; Jayosi, Majdi Rashed

    2015-01-01

    The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between the Palestinian secondary school students knowledge level of science process skills and their attitudes toward science, and the effect of gender and residence of these students on their knowledge level of science process skills and on their attitudes toward science. The study used…

  4. Denver School of Science and Technology: A High School that Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colorado Children's Campaign, 2006

    2006-01-01

    When one sees the new Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST), the first thing one will likely to notice is the building's impressive design. The school looks more like a Silicon Valley biotech firm than a typical new Colorado high school. Indeed, the innovative structure, modeled on a similar facility in San Diego, has already garnered…

  5. Guidelines for Science Curriculum in Washington Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duxbury, Alyn, Ed.

    This document contains guidelines for science curriculum in Washington State schools. Statements of philosophy and program goals are presented and explained. Four major program goals (which address societal demands) operationally describe science education toward the learning of: (1) factual and theoretical knowledge; (2) applied science skills;…

  6. The Development of Science Achievement in Middle and High School: Individual Differences and School Effects.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Xin; Wilkins, Jessie L. M.

    2002-01-01

    Used hierarchical linear models with data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth to model the growth of student science achievement in biology, physical science, and environmental science during middle and high school. Growth was quadratic across all areas, with rapid growth at the beginning of middle school and slow growth at the ending…

  7. Creating a virtual community of practice to investigate legitimate peripheral participation by African American middle school girls in science activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edwards, Leslie D.

    How do teenage girls develop an interest in science? What kinds of opportunities can science teachers present to female students that support their engagement with learning science? I studied one aspect of this issue by focusing on ways students could use science to enhance or gain identities that they (probably) already valued. To do that I created technology-rich activities and experiences for an after school class in science and technology for middle school girls who lived in a low socio-economic urban neighborhood. These activities and experiences were designed to create a virtual community of practice whose members used science in diverse ways. Student interest was made evident in their responses to the activities. Four conclusions emerged. (1) Opportunities to learn about the lives and work of admired African American business women interested students in learning by linking it to their middle-class aspirations and their interest in things that money and status can buy. (2) Opportunities to learn about the lives and work of African American women experts in science in a classroom context where students then practiced similar kinds of actual scientific tasks engaged students in relations of legitimate peripheral participation in a virtual and diverse community of practice focused on science which was created in the after-school classes. (3) Opportunities where students used science to show off for family, friends, and supporters of the after-school program, identities they valued, interested them enough that they engaged in long-term science and technology projects that required lots of revisions. (4) In response to the opportunities presented, new and enhanced identities developed around becoming a better student or becoming some kind of scientist.

  8. Teaching Media Studies as High School Social Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tuggle, C. A.; Sneed, Don; Wulfemeyer, K. Tim

    2000-01-01

    Finds that a large majority of high school social science teachers in two of the nation's largest school districts believe that: students should be taught how to be informed media consumers; the social science curriculum is the appropriate place for that instruction; and while they feel qualified to teach about the media, they have received little…

  9. Dance clubbing on MDMA and during abstinence from Ecstasy/MDMA: prospective neuroendocrine and psychobiological changes.

    PubMed

    Parrott, A C; Lock, J; Conner, A C; Kissling, C; Thome, J

    2008-01-01

    The present study is the first to prospectively compare a group of recreational Ecstasy users when dance clubbing on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and when clubbing during abstinence from Ecstasy/MDMA. Twelve normal healthy volunteers (mean age = 23.2 years) were assessed at a Saturday night dance club under self-administered MDMA. On the other weekend they went to the same dance club without taking MDMA (order counterbalanced). Both conditions involved 5 test sessions conducted at similar times: pre-drug baseline, 1 h post-drug clubbing, 2.5 h post-drug clubbing, and 2 and 4 days later. The assessments included body and ambient temperature, physical activity (pedometer), as well as self-ratings for mood state, physical activity, thermal comfort and thirst. Saliva samples were analyzed for MDMA, cortisol and testosterone. The cortisol levels increased significantly by 800% when dance clubbing on MDMA, while testosterone increased significantly by 75%; neither neuroendocrine measure was altered during abstinence. Saliva analyses confirmed the presence of MDMA when dancing on Ecstasy and its absence when dancing off Ecstasy. The pedometer values and self-rated levels of dancing were similar at both weekends. Hot and cold flushes and feeling hot increased significantly under MDMA. The mean body temperature did not change significantly, although there was a borderline trend for increased values after MDMA. Feelings of happiness and excitement increased under MDMA, although they were not significantly greater than when clubbing during abstinence. Neurohormonal release may be an important part of the acute MDMA experience. The large cortisol increase provides further data on the bioenergetic stress model of recreational Ecstasy/MDMA. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. Dance Clubbing on MDMA and during Abstinence from Ecstasy/MDMA: Prospective Neuroendocrine and Psychobiological Changes

    PubMed Central

    Parrott, A.C.; Lock, J.; Conner, A.C.; Kissling, C.; Thome, J.

    2013-01-01

    Background/Aims The present study is the first to prospectively compare a group of recreational Ecstasy users when dance clubbing on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and when clubbing during abstinence from Ecstasy/MDMA. Methods Twelve normal healthy volunteers (mean age = 23.2 years) were assessed at a Saturday night dance club under self-administered MDMA. On the other weekend they went to the same dance club without taking MDMA (order counterbalanced). Both conditions involved 5 test sessions conducted at similar times: pre-drug baseline, 1 h post-drug clubbing, 2.5 h post-drug clubbing, and 2 and 4 days later. The assessments included body and ambient temperature, physical activity (pedometer), as well as self-ratings for mood state, physical activity, thermal comfort and thirst. Saliva samples were analyzed for MDMA, cortisol and testosterone. Results The cortisol levels increased significantly by 800% when dance clubbing on MDMA, while testosterone increased significantly by 75%; neither neuroendocrine measure was altered during abstinence. Saliva analyses confirmed the presence of MDMA when dancing on Ecstasy and its absence when dancing off Ecstasy. The pedometer values and self-rated levels of dancing were similar at both weekends. Hot and cold flushes and feeling hot increased significantly under MDMA. The mean body temperature did not change significantly, although there was a borderline trend for increased values after MDMA. Feelings of happiness and excitement increased under MDMA, although they were not significantly greater than when clubbing during abstinence. Conclusions Neurohormonal release may be an important part of the acute MDMA experience. The large cortisol increase provides further data on the bioenergetic stress model of recreational Ecstasy/MDMA. PMID:18654086

  11. Club Drug Use

    MedlinePlus

    ... are: GHB (liquid ecstasy) MDMA (ecstasy) flunitrazepam (roofies) ketamine (special K) LSD (acid). Club drugs contain a ... or cut to include meth. These include GHB, ketamine, and flunitrazepam. They can cause severe, long-lasting ...

  12. School 2.0: The Science Leadership Academy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lehmann, Christopher

    2007-01-01

    This article features the Science Leadership Academy, a new public partnership school in Philadelphia that incorporates core values of inquiry, research, collaboration, presentation, and reflection. Founded by the School District of Philadelphia and The Franklin Institute, SLA is one of four partnership high schools that opened in September 2006…

  13. Investigating Your School's Science Teaching and Learning Culture

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sato, Mistilina; Bartiromo, Margo; Elko, Susan

    2016-01-01

    The authors report on their work with the Academy for Leadership in Science Instruction, a program targeted to help science teachers promote a science teaching and learning culture in their own schools.

  14. Influence of science and technology magnet middle schools on students' motivation and achievement in science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allen, David

    Some informal discussions among educators regarding motivation of students and academic performance have included the topic of magnet schools. The premise is that a focused theme, such as an aspect of science, positively affects student motivation and academic achievement. However, there is limited research involving magnet schools and their influence on student motivation and academic performance. This study provides empirical data for the discussion about magnet schools influence on motivation and academic ability. This study utilized path analysis in a structural equation modeling framework to simultaneously investigate the relationships between demographic exogenous independent variables, the independent variable of attending a science or technology magnet middle school, and the dependent variables of motivation to learn science and academic achievement in science. Due to the categorical nature of the variables, Bayesian statistical analysis was used to calculate the path coefficients and the standardized effects for each relationship in the model. The coefficients of determination were calculated to determine the amount of variance each path explained. Only five of 21 paths had statistical significance. Only one of the five statistically significant paths (Attended Magnet School to Motivation to Learn Science) explained a noteworthy amount (45.8%) of the variance.

  15. Process evaluation for a school-based physical activity intervention for 6th- and 7th-grade boys: reach, dose, and fidelity.

    PubMed

    Robbins, Lorraine B; Pfeiffer, Karin Allor; Wesolek, Stacey M; Lo, Yun-Jia

    2014-02-01

    The purpose was to evaluate the reach, dose, and fidelity of Guys Only Activity for Life (G.O.A.L.), a 7-week pilot intervention conducted from February to March 2011 to increase 6th and 7th grade boys' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). One middle school was randomly assigned to the G.O.A.L. intervention and another from the same urban school district in the Midwestern U.S. to a comparison condition. Thirty boys, ages 10-14 years, participated in each school. The intervention, guided by the Health Promotion Model (HPM) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), consisted of a 90-min after-school physical activity club 4 days/week and one motivational interviewing session with a registered (school) nurse. Data were gathered via attendance records, club observations, heart rate monitors, audio-taping of motivational interviewing sessions, and surveys. On average boys attended the club 2.11 days/week (SD=.86). A trained independent process evaluator reported that the physical activity club instructors provided the boys with the opportunity for a mean of 25.8 min/day of MVPA. Using a four-point Likert scale (1=disagree a lot; 4=agree a lot), the process evaluator perceived that the club was delivered with high fidelity and adherence to the underlying theories (M=3.48; SD=0.39). Sessions with the nurse lasted an average of 13 min, 29 s. All boys attended. Two trained independent coders indicated that the nurse demonstrated at least beginning proficiency for all tasks associated with motivational interviewing, with the exception of using sufficient open- as opposed to closed-ended questions and reflections compared to questions. Fidelity related to session delivery and adherence to the theories was high (M=3.83; SD=0.19). The process evaluation data indicated that strategies are needed to increase attendance and boys' MVPA during the club time. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Benefits Analysis of the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-06-01

    Football, baseball, softball, soccer , 2086 (54.7) track, swimming, wrestling, weightlifting, volleyball, or other sports) Church youth group 1382 (36.3...clubs a b 78. Academic clubs (For example: uth. science, tlanguae) a b 79. Sports (Football, baseball, softball, soccer , track, a b swimming, wrestling...the Players Champion Golf Tournament Seneca Valley High School, MD Kanzano High School, NM Neptune High School, NJ Episcopal High School, IA Valley

  17. Integrating Instructional Technologies in a Local Watershed Investigation with Urban Elementary Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bodzin, Alec M.

    2008-01-01

    The author describes an after-school science club program for urban 4th-grade students that integrated instructional technologies to investigate a pond ecosystem in the local schoolyard. The author conducted a design-based evaluation study to examine the effectiveness of the program in promoting environmental attitudes and understandings of the…

  18. Green Team to the Rescue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neeper, Lance S.; Dymond, Stacy K.

    2012-01-01

    Teachers created an after-school club called The Green Team and implemented an instructional strategy know as service-learning to teach environmental science. This article describes the transformation that occurred over a three-year period and illustrates how service-learning can provide a framework for environmental education. (Contains 1 figure,…

  19. More Time for Teens: Understanding Teen Participation--Frequency, Intensity and Duration--In Boys & Girls Clubs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arbreton, Amy; Bradshaw, Molly; Metz, Rachel; Sheldon, Jessica

    2008-01-01

    Written midway through a three-year longitudinal evaluation of the role Boys & Girls Clubs play in the lives of the youth they serve, this report explores a topic of continuing interest to program operators and funders: What does it take to involve teens in positive out-of-school-time activities? Drawing on survey data from a low-income,…

  20. Learning to teach science in urban schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tobin, Kenneth; Roth, Wolff-Michael; Zimmermann, Andrea

    2001-10-01

    Teaching in urban schools, with their problems of violence, lack of resources, and inadequate funding, is difficult. It is even more difficult to learn to teach in urban schools. Yet learning in those locations where one will subsequently be working has been shown to be the best preparation for teaching. In this article we propose coteaching as a viable model for teacher preparation and the professional development of urban science teachers. Coteaching - working at the elbow of someone else - allows new teachers to experience appropriate and timely action by providing them with shared experiences that become the topic of their professional conversations with other coteachers (including peers, the cooperating teacher, university supervisors, and high school students). This article also includes an ethnography describing the experiences of a new teacher who had been assigned to an urban high school as field experience, during which she enacted a curriculum that was culturally relevant to her African American students, acknowledged their minority status with respect to science, and enabled them to pursue the school district standards. Even though coteaching enables learning to teach and curricula reform, we raise doubts about whether our approaches to teacher education and enacting science curricula are hegemonic and oppressive to the students we seek to emancipate through education.

  1. Exploring the Impact of an Out-of-School Science Program on the Science Learning of Upper Elementary School Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Karen Benn

    2009-01-01

    This study sought to explore qualitatively how participation in an informal science program might affect the following aspects of upper elementary school children's scientific thinking: conceptual understanding, epistemology of science, and the formation of their identity as science learners. A purposefully selected, maximum variation sample of…

  2. Teacher perceptions of high school students underachievement in science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gopalsingh, Bhagyalakshmi

    Low high school graduation rates continue to be a challenge in American public education. The pressure to meet the demands of adequate yearly progress (AYP) under the No Child Left behind Act of 2001 has led to an achievement gap in student performance between science and other core subjects, namely English, math, and social studies, on the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT). GHSGT statistics have consistently reflected a lower science pass percentage compared with other core subjects on the test. The objective of this nonexperimental, quantitative study was to analyze teacher perceptions on reasons for student science underachievement on the GHSGT. A self-developed questionnaire based on Bloom's taxonomy model was administered to 115 high school core subject teachers of a single school district. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests were used to test hypotheses. Results confirmed that teachers perceived that (a) students demonstrated a low rate of proficiency in science because science demands higher cognitive skills, (b) less emphasis was placed on science because it is a non-AYP indicator, and (c) making science an AYP indicator will optimize student science achievement. Based on results, recommendations were made to promote the integration of English, math, and social studies curriculum with science curriculum to enable students to transfer learned skills and information across subjects. The potential benefits of outcome of this study include (a) providing critical insight for policy makers and educational practitioners to understand the impact of science underachievement on graduation rates, and (b) raising student science achievement to improve graduation rates.

  3. New Trends in School Science Equipment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowe, Norman K., Ed.

    This four-part volume examines trends, problems, and issues related to school science equipment. Part 1 focuses on laboratory work and practical activities in science and technology education, considering equipment and curriculum development, equipment development related to curricula in Brazil, uses of local resources for practical work,…

  4. Inspiring science achievement: a mixed methods examination of the practices and characteristics of successful science programs in diverse high schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scogin, Stephen C.; Cavlazoglu, Baki; LeBlanc, Jennifer; Stuessy, Carol L.

    2017-08-01

    While the achievement gap in science exists in the US, research associated with our investigation reveals some high school science programs serving diverse student bodies are successfully closing the gap. Using a mixed methods approach, we identified and investigated ten high schools in a large Southwestern state that fit the definition of "highly successful, highly diverse". By conducting interviews with science liaisons associated with each school and reviewing the literature, we developed a rubric identifying specific characteristics associated with successful science programs. These characteristics and practices included setting high expectations for students, providing extensive teacher support for student learning, and utilizing student-centered pedagogy. We used the rubric to assess the successful high school science programs and compare them to other high school science programs in the state (i.e., less successful and less diverse high school science programs). Highly successful, highly diverse schools were very different in their approach to science education when compared to the other programs. The findings from this study will help schools with diverse students to strengthen hiring practices, enhance teacher support mechanisms, and develop student-focused strategies in the classroom that increase science achievement.

  5. International Urology Journal Club via Twitter: 12-month experience.

    PubMed

    Thangasamy, Isaac A; Leveridge, Michael; Davies, Benjamin J; Finelli, Antonio; Stork, Brian; Woo, Henry H

    2014-07-01

    Online journal clubs have increasingly been utilised to overcome the limitations of the traditional journal club. However, to date, no reported online journal club is available for international participation. To present a 12-mo experience from the International Urology Journal Club, the world's first international journal club using Twitter, an online micro-blogging platform, and to demonstrate the viability and sustainability of such a journal club. #urojc is an asynchronous 48-h monthly journal club moderated by the Twitter account @iurojc. The open invitation discussions focussed on papers typically published within the previous 2-4 wk. Data were obtained via third-party Twitter analysis services. Outcomes analysed included number of total and new users, number of tweets, and qualitative analysis of the relevance of tweets. Analysis was undertaken using GraphPad software, Microsoft Excel, and thematic qualitative analysis. The first 12 mo saw a total of 189 unique users representing 19 countries and 6 continents. There was a mean of 39 monthly participants that included 14 first-time participants per month. The mean number of tweets per month was 195 of which 62% represented original tweets directly related to the topic of discussion and 22% represented retweets of original posts. A mean of 130 832 impressions, or reach, were created per month. The @iurojc moderator account has accumulated >1000 followers. The study is limited by potentially incomplete data extracted by third-party Twitter analysers. Social media provides a potential for enormous international communication that has not been possible in the past. We believe the pioneering #urojc is both viable and sustainable. There is unlimited scope for journal clubs in other fields to follow the example of #urojc and utilise online portals to revitalise the traditional journal club while fostering international relationships. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. 21 CFR 133.123 - Cold-pack and club cheese.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Cold-pack and club cheese. 133.123 Section 133.123... FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CHEESES AND RELATED CHEESE PRODUCTS Requirements for Specific Standardized Cheese and Related Products § 133.123 Cold-pack and club cheese. (a)(1) Cold-pack cheese, club cheese, is...

  7. 26 CFR 1.501(c)(7)-1 - Social clubs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 7 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Social clubs. 1.501(c)(7)-1 Section 1.501(c)(7... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Exempt Organizations § 1.501(c)(7)-1 Social clubs. (a) The exemption... general, this exemption extends to social and recreation clubs which are supported solely by membership...

  8. 26 CFR 1.501(c)(7)-1 - Social clubs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 7 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Social clubs. 1.501(c)(7)-1 Section 1.501(c)(7... (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Exempt Organizations § 1.501(c)(7)-1 Social clubs. (a) The exemption... general, this exemption extends to social and recreation clubs which are supported solely by membership...

  9. Caught in the Balance: An Organizational Analysis of Science Teaching in Schools with Elementary Science Specialists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marco-Bujosa, Lisa M.; Levy, Abigail Jurist

    2016-01-01

    Elementary schools are under increasing pressure to teach science and teach it well; yet, research documents that classroom teachers must overcome numerous personal and school-based challenges to teach science effectively at this level, such as access to materials and inadequate instructional time. The elementary science specialist model…

  10. Diabetes Awareness of Low-Income Middle School Students Participating in the Help a Friend, Help Yourself Youth Diabetes Awareness Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wroten, Kathryn; Reames, Elizabeth S.; Tuuri, Georgianna

    2012-01-01

    The study reported here investigated the effectiveness of the LSU AgCenter Help a Friend, Help Yourself youth diabetes education curriculum to increase knowledge and awareness of diabetes and its symptoms in low-income middle school students participating in the Boys and Girls Club after-school program. The curriculum includes four lessons with…

  11. The formation of science choices in secondary school

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cleaves, Anna

    2005-04-01

    In this paper I examine the formation of post-16 choices over 3 years among higher achieving students with respect to enrolment in post-compulsory science courses. Transcripts from four interviews carried out over 3 years with 72 secondary school students were qualitatively analysed. Students were found to shape their choices for science in a variety of ways across time. The situation regarding science choices hinges on far more dynamic considerations than the stereotypical image of the potential advanced science student, committed to becoming a scientist from an early age. There is an interplay of self-perception with respect to science, occupational images of working scientists, relationship with significant adults and perceptions of school science The findings are informative for science educators and for career guidance professionals who may need to take into account the complexity of young people's choices.

  12. Improvement in the pre-hospital care of recreational drug users through the development of club specific ambulance referral guidelines

    PubMed Central

    Wood, David M; Greene, Shaun L; Alldus, Graham; Huggett, Denise; Nicolaou, Michelle; Chapman, Kerry; Moore, Fionna; Heather, Kim; Drake, Nicola; Dargan, Paul I

    2008-01-01

    Background Previously developed 'club guidelines' developed for club owners and promoters have tended to focus more on the legislative aspects of clubs, rather than the medical management of unwell clubbers within club environments. Despite this lack of guidance on the management of unwell clubbers, a significant proportion of clubs have 'club medic' rooms for managing these individuals. However, due to the lack of specific guidance on the training of staff working in these rooms and guidelines on when an ambulance should be called for an unwell clubber, there have been instances previously where clubbers have been inappropriately managed within the club environment, and often referred to hospital only after significant physiological derangement has occurred, thereby leading to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Methods We identified owners and promoters of local club venues within the catchment area of our Emergency Department and working jointly with them and other key stakeholders, in particular the London Ambulance Service and Metropolitan Police, identified strategies to improve pre-hospital care for clubbers who become unwell as a result of recreational drug use. These included developing guidelines detailing indications for ambulance transfer to hospital for clubbers with recreational drug toxicity and the training of club medic staff to use the guidelines Results Following the initial development of a pilot set of guidelines, an audit of their use identified training needed relating to the assessment of unwell clubbers with recreational drug toxicity and revisions required to the pilot version of the guidelines. After training related to the revised guidelines, all the club medic staff were confident in their ability to assess unwell clubbers with recreational drug toxicity, the use of the guidelines and also when to call an ambulance. Conclusion Working with key stakeholders in the local community, we have developed guidelines that can be used

  13. Improvement in the pre-hospital care of recreational drug users through the development of club specific ambulance referral guidelines.

    PubMed

    Wood, David M; Greene, Shaun L; Alldus, Graham; Huggett, Denise; Nicolaou, Michelle; Chapman, Kerry; Moore, Fionna; Heather, Kim; Drake, Nicola; Dargan, Paul I

    2008-06-06

    Previously developed 'club guidelines' developed for club owners and promoters have tended to focus more on the legislative aspects of clubs, rather than the medical management of unwell clubbers within club environments. Despite this lack of guidance on the management of unwell clubbers, a significant proportion of clubs have 'club medic' rooms for managing these individuals. However, due to the lack of specific guidance on the training of staff working in these rooms and guidelines on when an ambulance should be called for an unwell clubber, there have been instances previously where clubbers have been inappropriately managed within the club environment, and often referred to hospital only after significant physiological derangement has occurred, thereby leading to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. We identified owners and promoters of local club venues within the catchment area of our Emergency Department and working jointly with them and other key stakeholders, in particular the London Ambulance Service and Metropolitan Police, identified strategies to improve pre-hospital care for clubbers who become unwell as a result of recreational drug use. These included developing guidelines detailing indications for ambulance transfer to hospital for clubbers with recreational drug toxicity and the training of club medic staff to use the guidelines Following the initial development of a pilot set of guidelines, an audit of their use identified training needed relating to the assessment of unwell clubbers with recreational drug toxicity and revisions required to the pilot version of the guidelines. After training related to the revised guidelines, all the club medic staff were confident in their ability to assess unwell clubbers with recreational drug toxicity, the use of the guidelines and also when to call an ambulance. Working with key stakeholders in the local community, we have developed guidelines that can be used to improve the pre-hospital care of

  14. Attempts to bring the trained teachers in the schools of Nepal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lamsal, Jeevan

    2016-07-01

    To develop space activities and to industrialize astronomy, base of space education in the high schools must be very effective. This paper highlights the present scenario of space education and discusses the syllabus of astronomy in the different education level of Nepal. Astronomy is included in the curriculum of science book of middle school and high school which contains very few contents of solar system, constellations, galaxy, black holes and formation of stars. There is no any degree for higher studies in astronomy as a separate department in any university of Nepal. This paper also highlights the space activities and national level programs conducting in Nepal to support astronomy education. With the rise of many astronomical clubs and societies in the different regions of Nepal, astronomy education has been more effective in the recent time. Series of Galileo Teacher's Training Program in the different parts of Nepal being organized by Global Hands on Universe in cooperation with local astronomy clubs will be discuss in brief. The attempts to bring more trained and skilled teachers in the classroom by the government and non-government agencies are now gradually increasing. The competition of private schools and their capacity building workshops to their teachers to attract more students is also playing active role to shape the school education effective. The challenges, prospects and the practice of effective astronomy education prevailing in Nepal will be discuss. Key Words: Nepal, Astronomy Education, GTTP, Trained Teachers

  15. (re)producing Good Science Students: Girls' Participation in High School Physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carlone, Heidi B.

    In this ethnographic study, the author describes the meanings of science and science student in a physics classroom in an upper-middle-class high school and the ways girls participated within these meanings. The classroom practices reproduced prototypical meanings of science (as authoritative) and science student (as "dutiful"). The results highlight girls' embrace of prototypical school science. Yet at the end of the school year, the girls did not consider themselves "science people," nor did they want to pursue physics further. The author's interpretation of these results takes seriously girls' agency in producing the meaning of the physics class (as a way to polish one's transcript) and draws attention to the promoted identities (prototypical good student identities) in the classroom. The author argues that students' agency in resisting or accepting the practices, identities, and knowledge of school science is worth understanding for the improvement of science education.

  16. Evaluation of the Impact of Indoor Smoking Bans on Air Quality in Australian Licensed Clubs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davidson, Margaret Elissa

    The quality of indoor air in Australian buildings is unknown due to limited published data. The assessment of indoor air quality (IAQ) in hospitality environments is of special concern because they are frequented by sensitive populations such as the elderly, children, and people with pre-existing health conditions, who may be at risk of developing adverse health reactions if the IAQ is poor. As of 2010, all Australian states and territories have introduced legalisation banning smoking in enclosed public places, including licensed clubs. This project has evaluated the impact of indoor smoking bans on air quality inside and outside of Australian licensed clubs. In doing this it has identified emerging IAQ issues in post smoking ban environments, and documented the airborne concentrations of previously unstudied air contaminants such as particulate matter with a 50% cut-point diameter of 1.0 ?m (PM1.0) and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH) in the indoor smoking areas of Australian licensed clubs. The study involved collecting approximately 400 hours of air quality data, of which 200 hours was collected before bans and 200 hrs was collected after smoking bans were introduced in licensed clubs located within two local government districts of South Eastern Australia. Clubs 1 to 7 were located in the one district and Clubs 8 to 11 in the other district. Club 4 dropped out following the pre ban monitoring, and the results were omitted from analysis. The air quality parameters measured inside include particulate matter with a 50% cut-point diameter of 2.5 mum (PM2.5), PPAH, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide mu(CO2), temperature and humidity. The air quality parameters measured outside were PM2.5, CO2, temperature and humidity. Each of the parameters were monitored for 4 hour periods on 4 occasions in each club both before, and after the introduction of indoor smoking bans. Additional monitoring of indoor concentrations of PM1.0, nicotine and PM2

  17. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as a Means for School-Based Science Curriculum Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Browne, Christi L.

    The challenge of school-based science curriculum change and educational reform is often presented to science teachers and departments who are not necessarily prepared for the complexity of considerations that change movements require. The development of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) focused on a science department's curriculum change efforts, may provide the necessary tools to foster sustainable school-based curriculum science changes. This research presents a case study of an evolving science department PLC consisting of 10 middle school science teachers from the same middle school and their efforts of school-based science curriculum change. A transformative mixed model case study with qualitative data and deepened by quantitative analysis, was chosen to guide the investigation. Collected data worked to document the essential developmental steps, the occurrence and frequency of the five essential dimensions of successful PLCs, and the influences the science department PLC had on the middle school science department's progression through school-based science curriculum change, and the barriers, struggles and inhibiting actions of the science department PLC. Findings indicated that a science department PLC was unique in that it allowed for a focal science departmental lens of science curriculum change to be applied to the structure and function of the PLC and therefore the process, proceedings, and results were directly aligned to and driven by the science department. The science PLC, while logically difficult to set-up and maintain, became a professional science forum where the middle school science teachers were exposed to new science teaching and learning knowledge, explored new science standards, discussed effects on student science learning, designed and critically analyzed science curriculum change application. Conclusions resulted in the science department PLC as an identified tool providing the ability for science departmental actions to lead to

  18. 26 CFR 1.501(c)(7)-1 - Social clubs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 7 2011-04-01 2009-04-01 true Social clubs. 1.501(c)(7)-1 Section 1.501(c)(7)-1...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Exempt Organizations § 1.501(c)(7)-1 Social clubs. (a) The exemption provided by... general, this exemption extends to social and recreation clubs which are supported solely by membership...

  19. 26 CFR 1.501(c)(7)-1 - Social clubs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 7 2014-04-01 2013-04-01 true Social clubs. 1.501(c)(7)-1 Section 1.501(c)(7)-1...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Exempt Organizations § 1.501(c)(7)-1 Social clubs. (a) The exemption provided by... general, this exemption extends to social and recreation clubs which are supported solely by membership...

  20. 26 CFR 1.501(c)(7)-1 - Social clubs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 7 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Social clubs. 1.501(c)(7)-1 Section 1.501(c)(7)-1...) INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED) Exempt Organizations § 1.501(c)(7)-1 Social clubs. (a) The exemption provided by... general, this exemption extends to social and recreation clubs which are supported solely by membership...