k-12 teachers students: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for k-12 teachers students

What Do K-12 Teachers Think about Including Student Surveys in Their Performance Ratings?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dretzke, Beverly J.; Sheldon, Timothy D.; Lim, Alicia

2015-01-01

This study investigated K-12 teachers' opinions about the use of student surveys as a component of a teacher evaluation system. Surveys were administered to teachers at the beginning of the school year and again in the spring. Analyses of teachers' responses on the fall survey indicated tentative support for the inclusion of student feedback in…
Connecting with Teachers and Students through K-12 Outreach Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, Susan; Lindbo, David; Robinson, Clay

2014-05-01

The Soil Science Society of America has invested heavily in a significant outreach effort to reach teachers and students in the primary/secondary grades (K-12 grades in US/Canada) to raise awareness of soil as a critical resource. The SSSA K-12 committee has been charged with increasing interest and awareness of soil science as a scientific pursuit and career choice, and providing resources that integrate more information on soil science into biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science areas taught at multiple grade levels. Activities center around five main areas: assessment and standards, learning modules/lesson plans, website development, and books and materials, and partnership activities. Members (professionals and students) of SSSA are involved through committee participation, local events, materials review, and project development.
NSF GK-12 Fellows as Mentors for K-12 Teachers Participating in Field Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellins, K.; Perry, E.

2005-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) recognizes the value of providing educational opportunities to K-12 teachers who play a critical role in shaping the minds of young people who are the future of our science. To that end, UTIG established the "Texas Teachers in the Field" program in 2000 to formalize the participation of K-12 teachers in field programs that included UTIG scientists. In 2002, "Texas Teachers in the Field" evolved through UTIG's involvement in a University of Texas at Austin GK-12 project led by the Environmental Sciences Institute, which enabled UTIG to partner a subset of GK-12 Fellows with teachers participating in geophysical field programs. During the three years of the GK-12 project, UTIG successfully partnered four GK-12 Fellows with five K-12 teachers. The Fellows served as mentors to the teachers, as liaisons between UTIG scientists leading field programs and teachers and their students, and as resources in science, mathematics, and technology instruction. Specifically, Fellows prepared teachers and their students for the field investigations, supervised the design of individual Teacher Research Experience (TRE) projects, and helped teachers to develop standards-aligned curriculum resources related to the field program for use in their own classrooms, as well as broader distribution. Although all but one TRE occurred during the school year, Texas school districts and principals were willing to release teachers to participate because the experience and destinations were so extraordinary (i.e., a land-based program in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina; and research cruises to the Southeast Caribbean Sea and Hess Deep in the Pacific Ocean) and carried opportunities to work with scientists from around the world. This exceptional collaboration of GK-12 Fellows, K-12 teachers and research scientists enriches K-12 student learning and promotes greater enthusiasm for science. The level of mentoring, preparation and follow-up provided
Survey on Teaching Science to K-12 Students with Disabilities: Teacher Preparedness and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahn, Sami; Lewis, Anna R.

2014-12-01

Students with disabilities are increasingly included in general education science classrooms and are expected to demonstrate academic proficiency on standardized assessments. Teacher preparation and attitudes have been cited as major factors contributing to either the success or failure of students with disabilities in science. In order to assess the current state of what could be facilitative or inhibitory influences, a national online survey to which 1,088 K-12 science teachers responded was conducted. Mixed methods' analyses suggest that science teachers receive little formal training and feel underprepared to teach students with disabilities. Results identify specific gaps in science teachers' education, as well as attitudinal and institutional barriers that may inhibit students with disabilities' success. However, science teachers remain highly receptive to training and collaboration. Implications for science teacher education are discussed.
Teacher Perception of Barriers and Benefits in K-12 Technology Usage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carver, Lin B.

2016-01-01

This study explores K-12 teachers' perceptions of the benefits and barriers to technology integration by either teachers or students in K-12 instruction. The sample was composed of 68 students enrolled in online classes in the graduate studies in education department of a small private liberal arts institution in the southeast. Data was collected…
Project BioEYES: Accessible Student-Driven Science for K-12 Students and Teachers.

PubMed

Shuda, Jamie R; Butler, Valerie G; Vary, Robert; Farber, Steven A

2016-11-01

BioEYES, a nonprofit outreach program using zebrafish to excite and educate K-12 students about science and how to think and act like scientists, has been integrated into hundreds of under-resourced schools since 2002. During the week-long experiments, students raise zebrafish embryos to learn principles of development and genetics. We have analyzed 19,463 participating students' pre- and post-tests within the program to examine their learning growth and attitude changes towards science. We found that at all grade levels, BioEYES effectively increased students' content knowledge and produced favorable shifts in students' attitudes about science. These outcomes were especially pronounced in younger students. Having served over 100,000 students, we find that our method for providing student-centered experiences and developing long-term partnerships with teachers is essential for the growth and sustainability of outreach and school collaborations.
A phenomenological case study concerning science teacher educators' beliefs and teaching practices about culturally relevant pedagogy and preparing K-12 science teachers to engage African American students in K-12 science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Underwood, Janice Bell

Due to the rising diversity in today's schools, science teacher educators (STEs) suggest that K-12 teachers must be uniquely prepared to engage these students in science classrooms. Yet, in light of the increasing white-black science achievement gap, it is unclear how STEs prepare preservice teachers to engage diverse students, and African Americans in particular. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find out how STEs prepare preservice teachers to engage African American students in K-12 science. Thus, using the culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) framework, this phenomenological case study explored beliefs about culturally relevant science teaching and the influence of reported beliefs and experiences related to race on STEs' teaching practices. In the first phase, STE's in a mid-Atlantic state were invited to participate in an electronic survey. In the second phase, four participants, who were identified as exemplars, were selected from the survey to participate in three semi-structured interviews. The data revealed that STEs were more familiar with culturally responsive pedagogy (CResP) in the context of their post-secondary classrooms as opposed to CRP. Further, most of the participants in part one and two described modeling conventional ways they prepare their preservice teachers to engage K-12 students, who represent all types of diversity, without singling out any specific race. Lastly, many of the STEs' in this study reported formative experiences related to race and beliefs in various manifestations of racism have impacted their teaching beliefs and practices. The findings of this study suggest STEs do not have a genuine understanding of the differences between CRP and CResP and by in large embrace CResP principles. Secondly, in regards to preparing preservice teachers to engage African American students in science, the participants in this study seemed to articulate the need for ideological change, but were unable to demonstrate pedagogical changes
Interactive Teaching as a Recruitment and Training Tool for K-12 Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, J. L.

2004-12-01

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teacher Preparation (STEMTP) program at the University of Colorado has been designed to recruit and train prospective K-12 science teachers while improving student learning through interactive teaching. The program has four key goals: (1) recruit undergraduate students into K-12 science education, (2) provide these prospective teachers with hands-on experience in an interactive teaching pedagogy, (3) create an intergrated program designed to support (educationally, socially, and financially) and engage these prospective science teachers up until they obtain liscensure and/or their masters degree in education, and (4) improve student learning in large introductory science classes. Currently there are 31 students involved in the program and a total of 72 students have been involved in the year and a half it has been in existence. I will discuss the design of the STEMTP program, the success in recruiting K-12 science teachers, and the affect on student learning in a large lecture class of implementing interactive learning pedagogies by involving these prospective K-12 science teachers. J. L. Rosenberg would like to acknowledge the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Fellowship for support for this work. The course transformation project is also supported by grants from the National Science Foundation.
Studying Teachers' Degree of Classroom Implementation, Teachers' Implementation Practices, and Students' Learning as Outcomes of K-12 STEM Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Peiyi

2013-01-01

With a growing demand for an enhanced K-12 education for strengthening students' conceptual learning, interest, and career awareness in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, teacher professional development projects have been viewed as an efficient approach. However, a variety of external and teacher factors may prevent such projects…
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
Are K-12 school environments harming students with obesity? A qualitative study of classroom teachers.

PubMed

Kenney, Erica L; Redman, Morgan T; Criss, Shaniece; Sonneville, Kendrin R; Austin, S Bryn

2017-03-01

Weight bias can negatively impact health, and schools may be risky environments for students with obesity. We aimed to explore teachers' perceptions of the school experiences and academic challenges of students with obesity. We conducted interviews with 22 teachers in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest in July-August 2014. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed for important themes by two researchers using the immersion/crystallization approach. Most teachers felt that students with obesity were more likely to have academic difficulties. Two main perceptions of the reasons for these difficulties emerged: (1) obesity led to lower self-esteem that caused students to participate less, and (2) poorer nutrition, increased screen time, and reduced physical activity were simultaneously causing obesity and poorer academic performance. A few teachers described colleagues who felt students with obesity were not as motivated to work hard in school as their peers. Many teachers described school health promotion efforts focused on weight reduction that could exacerbate weight stigma and risk of disordered eating. Students with obesity, particularly girls, may be at risk for negative social and academic experiences in K-12 schools and may be perceived as struggling academically by their teachers.
From Teacher to Teacher Educator: Should You Move from a K-12 Classroom into Higher Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clement, Mary C.

2011-01-01

College teaching can be as rewarding as a K-12 career and, whether in elementary school or college, students deserve good teachers. College professors who prepare teachers can have a tremendous impact on K-12 classrooms for decades into the future. However, career paths vary widely, and the path to teaching in higher education is as unique as the…
AIAA Educator Academy: Enriching STEM Education for K-12 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slagle, E.; Bering, E. A.; Longmier, B. W.; Henriquez, E.; Milnes, T.; Wiedorn, P.; Bacon, L.

2012-12-01

balloon equipped with HD cameras. To better assist teachers in implementing one or more of these Curriculum Modules, teacher workshops are held to give teachers a hands-on look at how this curriculum is used in the classroom. And, to provide further support, teachers are each provided with an AIAA professional member as a mentor for themselves and/or their students. These curriculum modules, provided by AIAA are available to any K-12 teachers as well as EPO officers for use in formal or informal education settings.
K-12 Teachers' Perceptions of School Policy and Fear of School Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricketts, Melissa L.

2007-01-01

Since the 1990s, schools have focused their attention on policies designed to improve school safety. Most researches on school violence policies have concentrated on the needs of students and administrators. This study investigated the impact of school violence policies on K-12 teachers' fear. Using self-report data from 447 K-12 teachers from a…
Teacher Field Research Experiences: Building and Maintaining the Passion for K-12 Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunton, K.; Schonberg, S.

2006-12-01

Academic scientists and researchers are increasingly encouraged to develop connections with K-12 educators to promote scientific literacy and bring excitement into the classroom. Such partnerships carry long-term benefits to both teachers and researchers. Teachers gain the tools, confidence, and knowledge to develop research activities with their students that promote scientific inquiry, and researchers benefit from outreach activities that improve communication skills for sharing scientific knowledge with the public. Our K-12 programs have been field based under a theme of Classrooms Without Walls, to take advantage of our local marine environment and a long-term research program on the Alaskan Arctic coast. Our professional development programs for teachers have included the creation of an annual summer graduate level course (Application of Field Research Experiences for K-12 Science and Math Educators) as an introduction to scientific methodology, observation, and inquiry based learning. We provide graduate students as resources in classrooms and for field trip experiences and provide supplies and instrumentation to teachers for K-12 field projects. Finally, teachers have an opportunity to join our researchers to remote sites under various competitive programs that receive federal support (e.g. GK-12, ARMADA). We provide examples of our activities, which are based on recent needs assessment surveys of science teachers; these included development of content knowledge and providing students with opportunities to connect concepts with experiences. Our goal is to provide field experiences to teachers and students that enable them to relate science concepts to the real world.
Transforming K-12 Rural Education through Blended Learning: Teacher Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellerer, Paula; Kellerer, Eric; Werth, Eric; Werth, Lori; Montgomery, Danielle; Clyde, Rozella; Cozart, Joe; Creach, Laura; Hibbard, Laura; LaFrance, Jason; Rupp, Nadine; Walker, Niki; Carter, Theresa; Kennedy, Kathryn

2014-01-01

A qualitative study exploring rural teacher perspectives on the impact of blended learning on students and teachers was conducted in Idaho during the Fall of 2013. Researchers from Northwest Nazarene University's DOCEO Center in partnership with Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) and the International Association for K-12 Online Learning…
K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators and Higher Education Faculty: Partners Helping Rural Disadvantaged Students Stay on the Pathway to a Geoscience Career

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slattery, W.; Antonucci, C.; Myers, R. J.

2013-12-01

The National Science Foundation funded project K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators and Higher Education Faculty: Partners Helping Rural Disadvantaged Students Stay on the Pathway to a Geoscience Career is a research-based proof of concept track 1 pilot project that tests the effectiveness of an innovative model for simultaneous K-12 teacher professional development, student learning and workforce development. The project builds a network of science experiences designed to keep eighth and ninth grade students from the Ripley, Union, Lewis, Huntington (RULH) Ohio school district on the path to a geoscience career. During each summer of the ongoing two-year project teams of RULH students, parents, teachers, administrators and college faculty traveled to the facilities of the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium at Sandy Hook, New Jersey to study science from an Earth system perspective. Teachers had the opportunity to engage in professional development alongside their students. Parents participated in the science activities alongside their children. Administrators interacted with students, parents and their teachers and saw them all learning science in an engaging, collaborative setting. During the first academic year of the project professional development was provided to RULH teachers by a team of university scientists and geoscience educators from the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA), a National Science Foundation funded project. Teachers selected for professional development were from science disciplines, mathematics, language arts and civics. The teachers selected, taught and assessed ESSEA Earth system science modules to all eighth and ninth grade students, not just those that were selected to go on the summer trips to New Jersey. In addition, all ninth grade RULH students had the opportunity to take a course that includes Earth system science concepts that will earn them both high school and college science credits. Professional
K-12 Online Teacher Beliefs: Relationships among Intelligence, Confidence, Teacher-Student Interactions, and Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vander Ploeg, Guadalupe

2012-01-01

The vigorous expansion of online learning in K-12 education is a recent change to the conceptualization of schooling that has been occurring for more than 10 years. However, methods used for recruiting, hiring, and preparing online teachers have not been altered beyond the current federal standard defined by No Child Left Behind of Highly…
Involving Practicing Scientists in K-12 Science Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertram, K. B.

2011-12-01

The Science Teacher Education Program (STEP) offered a unique framework for creating professional development courses focused on Arctic research from 2006-2009. Under the STEP framework, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) training was delivered by teams of practicing Arctic researchers in partnership with master teachers with 20+ years experience teaching STEM content in K-12 classrooms. Courses based on the framework were offered to educators across Alaska. STEP offered in-person summer-intensive institutes and follow-on audio-conferenced field-test courses during the academic year, supplemented by online scientist mentorship for teachers. During STEP courses, teams of scientists offered in-depth STEM content instruction at the graduate level for teachers of all grade levels. STEP graduate-level training culminated in the translation of information and data learned from Arctic scientists into standard-aligned lessons designed for immediate use in K-12 classrooms. This presentation will focus on research that explored the question: To what degree was scientist involvement beneficial to teacher training and to what degree was STEP scientist involvement beneficial to scientist instructors? Data sources reveal consistently high levels of ongoing (4 year) scientist and teacher participation; high STEM content learning outcomes for teachers; high STEM content learning outcomes for students; high ratings of STEP courses by scientists and teachers; and a discussion of the reasons scientists indicate they benefited from STEP involvement. Analyses of open-ended comments by teachers and scientists support and clarify these findings. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze teacher and scientist qualitative feedback. Comments were coded and patterns analyzed in three databases. The vast majority of teacher open-ended comments indicate that STEP involvement improved K-12 STEM classroom instruction, and the vast majority of scientist open-ended comments
Addressing the NETS*S in K-12 Classrooms: Implications for Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niederhauser, Dale S.; Lindstrom, Denise L.; Strobel, Johannes

2007-01-01

The National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS*S) were developed to provide guidelines for effective and meaningful technology use with K-12 students. In the present study we used the NETS*S as a framework to analyze ways that teachers integrated instructional technology use and provided opportunities for their students to…

NGSS-Aligned, K-12 Climate Science Curricula, taught with citizen science and teacher-led inquiry methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainfeld, S.

2017-12-01

Teacher-led inquiry into student learning is a promising method of formative assessment to gain insight into student achievement. NGSS-aligned K-12 Climate Science curricula taught with citizen science and teacher-led inquiry methods are described, along with results from a scientist-teacher collaboration survey.
BiteScis: Connecting K-12 teachers with science graduate students to produce lesson plans on modern science research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battersby, Cara

2016-01-01

Many students graduate high school having never learned about the process and people behind modern science research. The BiteScis program addresses this gap by providing easily implemented lesson plans that incorporate the whos, whats, and hows of today's scienctific discoveries. We bring together practicing scientists (motivated graduate students from the selective communicating science conference, ComSciCon) with K-12 science teachers to produce, review, and disseminate K-12 lesson plans based on modern science research. These lesson plans vary in topic from environmental science to neurobiology to astrophysics, and involve a range of activities from laboratory exercises to art projects, debates, or group discussion. An integral component of the program is a series of short, "bite-size" articles on modern science research written for K-12 students. The "bite-size" articles and lesson plans will be made freely available online in an easily searchable web interface that includes association with a variety of curriculum standards. This ongoing program is in its first year with about 15 lesson plans produced to date.
A Longitudinal Study of the Effectiveness of a K-12 Engagement Program on Graduate Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weeks, Faith; Gong, Ruiyang; Harbor, Jon

2015-01-01

Programs that connect higher and K-12 education provide benefits to K-12 students, teachers, and higher education. The National Science Foundation (NSF) invested in programs connecting domestic STEM graduate students with K-12 education for over a decade (GK-12), intending that such engagement would help achieve graduate student learning outcomes…
One-to-One Laptops in K-12 Classrooms: Voices of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Binbin; Arada, Kathleen; Niiya, Melissa; Warschauer, Mark

2014-01-01

In planning educational technology initiatives, the concerns of many stakeholders are typically taken into account, including the concerns of administrators, teachers, parents, and employers. The perspective of students are recognized as valuable, but not often queried or considered. This paper explores the opinions of K-12 students about a…
An Investigation of University Student and K-12 Teacher Reasoning about Key Ideas in the Development of the Particulate Nature of Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Amy D.

2011-01-01

This dissertation describes a systematic investigation of university student and K-12 teacher reasoning about key ideas relevant to the development of a particulate model for matter. Written assessments and individual demonstration interviews have been used to study the reasoning of introductory and sophomore-level physics students, introductory…
C-MORE Science Kits: Putting Technology in the Hands of K-12 Teachers and Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Achilles, K.; Weersing, K.; Daniels, C.; Puniwai, N.; Matsuzaki, J.; Bruno, B. C.

2008-12-01

The Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) is a NSF Science and Technology Center based at the University of Hawaii. The C-MORE education and outreach program offers a variety of resources and professional development opportunities for science educators, including online resources, participation in oceanography research cruises, teacher-training workshops, mini-grants to incorporate microbial oceanography-related content and activities into their classroom and, most recently, C- MORE science kits. C-MORE science kits provide hands-on classroom, field, and laboratory activities related to microbial oceanography for K-12 students. Each kit comes with complete materials and instructions, and is available free of charge to Hawaii's public school teachers. Several kits are available nationwide. C-MORE science kits cover a range of topics and technologies and are targeted at various grade levels. Here is a sampling of some available kits: 1) Marine Murder Mystery: The Case of the Missing Zooxanthellae. Students learn about the effect of climate change and other environmental threats on coral reef destruction through a murder-mystery experience. Participants also learn how to use DNA to identify a suspect. Grades levels: 3-8. 2) Statistical sampling. Students learn basic statistics through an exercise in random sampling, with applications to microbial oceanography. The laptops provided with this kit enable students to enter, analyze, and graph their data using EXCEL. Grades levels: 6-12. 3) Chlorophyll Lab. A research-quality fluorometer is used to measure the chlorophyll content in marine and freshwater systems. This enables students to compare biomass concentrations in samples collected from various locations. Grades levels: 9-12. 4) Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD). Students predict how certain variables (e.g., temperature, pressure, chlorophyll, oxygen) vary with depth. A CTD, attached to a laptop computer, is deployed into deep water
K-12 Students Flock To ToxTown In San Diego: Results of an SOT K-12 Education Outreach Workshop

EPA Science Inventory

Just prior to the start of the 2015 Annual Meeting in San Diego, hundreds of K-12 students, teachers, and science enthusiasts visited the ToxTown booth at the annual San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering grand finale event, EXPO Day. Over 20,000 attendees participated in ...
Retaining K-12 Online Teachers: A Predictive Model for K-12 Online Teacher Turnover

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Ingle M.; Lokey-Vega, Anissa; Brantley-Dias, Laurie

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure and explore factors influencing K-12 online teachers' turnover intentions, with job satisfaction and organizational commitment serving as moderating variables. Using Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior (1975), this study was conducted in public, private, charter, for-profit,…
K-12 Online and Blended Teacher Licensure: Striking a Balance between Policy and Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archambault, Leanna; DeBruler, Kristen; Freidhoff, Joseph

2014-01-01

As the number of K-12 students participating in various forms of online learning steadily rises, teacher quality is of paramount concern. This article explores the theoretical underpinnings surrounding quality teaching in online settings as well as practical considerations for what teachers should know and be able to do in online environments.…
Developing Open Education Literacies with Practicing K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmons, Royce M.

2014-01-01

This study seeks to understand how to use formal learning activities to effectively support the development of open education literacies among K-12 teachers. Considering pre-and post-surveys from K-12 teachers (n = 80) who participated in a three-day institute, this study considers whether participants entered institutes with false confidence or…
Addressing the Nets for Students through Constructivist Technology Use in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niederhauser, Dale S.; Lindstrom, Denise L.

2006-01-01

The National Educational Technology Standards for Students promote constructivist technology use for K-12 students in U.S. schools. In this study, researchers reported on 716 cases in which teachers described technology-based activities they conducted with their students. Narrative analysis was used to examine case transcripts relative to the…
K-12 science education: A teacher`s view

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

Moore, P.

1994-12-31

Science education has experienced significant changes over the past two decades. Science is now vital to good citizenship, performance in the workplace, and everyday life.It is time to re-tool and re-design the entire K-12 science education system, employing the same principles and methods used in the practice of science itself. We can no longer ignore the special needs of science instruction. All students need a course that develops their scientific literacy and critical thinking skills every year. Each science program needs meaningful, useful content and skill standards to drive and continuously update the curriculum content and enabel usefull assessment. Sciencemore » teachers must articulate their needs and develop opportunities for professional development and the strengthening of their profession. We need a national plan that gets the many different participants working coherently towards a common goal.« less
Integrating long-term science projects into K-12 curriculum: Fostering teacher-student engagement in urban environmental research through an NSF UCLA GK-12 program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogue, T. S.; Moldwin, M.; Nonacs, P.; Daniel, J.; Shope, R.

2009-12-01

A National Science Foundation Graduate Teaching Fellows in K- 12 Education program at UCLA (SEE-LA; http://measure.igpp.ucla.edu/GK12-SEE-LA) has just completed its first year (of a five-year program) and has greatly expanded UCLA’s science and engineering partnerships with LA Unified and Culver City Unified School Districts. The SEE-LA program partners UCLA faculty, graduate students (fellows), middle and high school science teachers and their students into a program of science and engineering exploration that brings the environment of Los Angeles into the classroom. UCLA graduate fellows serve as scientists-in-residence at the four partner schools to integrate inquiry-based science and engineering lessons, facilitate advancements in science content teaching, and ultimately, to improve their own science communication skills. As part of their fellowship, graduate students are required to develop three inquiry-based lessons in their partner classroom, including a lesson focused on their dissertation research, a lesson focused on the environmental/watershed theme of the project, and a lesson that involves longer-term data collection and synthesis with the grade 6-12 teachers and students. The developed long-term projects ideally involve continued observations and analysis through the five-year project and beyond. During the first year of the project, the ten SEE-LA fellows developed a range of long-term research projects, from seasonal invertebrate observations in an urban stream system, to home energy consumption surveys, to a school bioblitz (quantification of campus animals and insects). Examples of lesson development and integration in the classroom setting will be highlighted as well as tools required for sustainability of the projects. University and local pre-college school partnerships provide an excellent opportunity to support the development of graduate student communication skills while also contributing significantly to the integration of sustainable
CESAME: Providing High Quality Professional Development in Science and Mathematics for K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hickman, Paul

2002-04-01

It is appropriate that after almost half a century of Science and Mathematics education reform we take a look back and a peek forward to understand the present state of this wonderfully complex system. Each of the components of this system including teaching, professional development, assessment, content and the district K-12 curriculum all need to work together if we hope to provide quality science, mathematics and technology education for ALL students. How do the state and national standards drive the system? How do state policies on student testing and teacher licensure come into play? How do we improve the preparation, retention and job satisfaction of our K-12 teachers? What initiatives have made or are making a difference? What else needs to be done? What can the physics community do to support local efforts? This job is too big for any single organization or individual but we each can contribute to the effort. Our Center at Northeastern University, with support from the National Science Foundation, has a sharply defined focus: to get high quality, research-based instructional materials into the hands of K-12 classroom teachers and provide the support they need to use the materials effectively in their classrooms.
Survey of K-12 Science Teachers' Educational Product Needs from Planetary Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slater, Stephanie J.; Slater, Timothy F.; Olsen, Julia K.

2009-01-01

Most education reform documents of the last two decades call for students to have authentic science inquiry experiences that mimic scientific research using real scientific data. In order for professional planetary scientists to provide the most useful data and professional development for K-12 teachers in support of science education reform, an…
Peer Mentoring and Peer Tutoring among K-12 Students: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodrich, Andrew

2018-01-01

The purpose of this literature review is to examine research on peer mentoring among K-12 students to assist practitioners with how to incorporate these instructional techniques into their own music programs. Primary themes across the music education literature of peer mentoring include the role of music teachers, the role of students as they…
Fostering Peace: A Comparison of Conflict Resolution Approaches for Students (K-12).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iowa Peace Inst., Grinnell.

This compilation of 12 conflict resolution models is an attempt to provide a comparable overview of approaches that teach conflict management and peacemaking skills to K-12 students, teachers, counselors, and administrators. They have been selected for inclusion because they have been used in many schools around the United States. Each is…
A Case Study of Rural New Mexico K-12 Teachers' Perceptions of Standardized Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hite-Pope, Kim

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to examine K-12 teachers' classroom experiences with standardized testing in rural New Mexico schools. Standardized tests have significantly changed the landscape of education with the use of students' test scores as a determining factor for advancement or failure for teachers (Simpson, Lacava, & Graner, 2013).…
The Platte River Corridor Project: A University/K-12 Collaboration to Meet the Needs of Latino Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hof, David D.; Lopez, Samuel T.; Dinsmore, Julie A.; Baker, Jessica; McCarty, Wendy L.; Tracy, Glenn

2007-01-01

This article discusses the development and impact of the Platte River Corridor Project, a successful university/K-12 partnership designed to address the inequality in learning outcomes for Latino students by increasing the effectiveness of K-12 classroom teachers in educating Latino English Language Learner (ELL) students and by facilitating…
In Search of the Active Site of PMMO Enzyme: Partnership between a K-12 Teacher, a Graduate K-12 Teaching Fellow, and a Research Mentor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bearden, Katherine K.; Mainardi, Daniela S.; Culligan, Tanya

2009-01-01

The partnership between a K-12 teacher (Culligan), an NSF GK-12 Teaching Fellow graduate student (Bearden), and a Louisiana Tech faculty member (Mainardi) collaborating in a research and education project is described in this work. The unique grouping of these three researchers allows for maximum dissemination of developed modules. By the end of…

K-12 Teachers' Preparedness for Utilizing Technology to Reduce Classroom Administrative Workload

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parizo, Daniel C.

2013-01-01

Research on technology in the K-12 classroom has focused on student learning initiatives. Few studies, however, have addressed whether technology is being used to reduce classroom administrative workload or whether teachers are prepared to utilize technology for reducing administrative workload. The problem this study addressed was the unclear…
Rethinking Museums' Adult Education for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Alan S.

2008-01-01

This article explores the importance of developing strong adult education programs within a broader collaborative effort between museum staff and K-12 teachers. Focusing on history museums, the first section discusses the importance of museum visits for K-12 history learning and how we need to reconsider some of the primary purposes for these…
Raising Climate Literacy of K-12 Teachers with Datastreme Earth's Climate System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brey, J. A.; Geer, I.; Weinbeck, R. S.; Mills, E. W.; Nugnes, K. A.

2014-12-01

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) DataStreme Project is a free professional development program for in-service K-12 teachers, in which they gain considerable subject matter content and confidence in Earth science instruction. DataStreme Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth's Climate System (ECS) are offered each fall and spring semester by Local Implementation Teams (LITs) across the country in coordination with a team of AMS Education Program scientists and educators who develop instructional materials, provide logistical support to the LITs, and administer the project. The 3-member LITs mentor about 8 teachers and in some instances an emergency manager, per semester through a given DataStreme course. Teachers may receive 3 tuition-free graduate credits through State University of New York's The College at Brockport upon completion of each DataStreme course. DataStreme is in close alignment with A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Investigating the scientific basis of the workings of Earth's atmosphere, ocean, and climate system follows the cross-cutting theme of the Framework and the NGSS and is the cornerstone of the DataStreme courses. In particular, DataStreme ECS explores the fundamental science of Earth's climate system and addresses the societal impacts relevant to today's teachers and students. The course utilizes resources from respected organizations, such as the IPCC and U.S. Global Change Research Program. Key to the NGSS is that students learn disciplinary core ideas in the context of science and engineering practices. In order for the students to learn in this way, the AMS believes that it is important to train the teachers in this context. DataStreme ECS emphasizes investigation of real-word and current NASA and NOAA data. Participants also are made aware of NASA's EdGCM, a research-grade Global Climate Model where they can explore various future climate scenarios in the same way that actual
K-12 Teachers Encounter Digital Games: A Qualitative Investigation of Teachers' Perceptions of the Potential of Digital Games for K-12 Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickey, Michele D.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' perceptions of the integration of digital games for K-12 education. Specifically, this qualitative investigation focuses on reflective dialogued gathered from a group of K-12 educators about their experiences and perceptions of learning about and playing digital games for teaching and learning.…
You Asked, We Answered! A Podcasting Series by Scientists for K-12 Teachers Through the Pennsylvania Earth Science Teachers Association (PAESTA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guertin, L. A.; Tait, K.

2015-12-01

The Pennsylvania Earth Science Teachers Association (PAESTA) recently initiated a podcasting series "You Asked, We Answered!" for K-12 teachers to increase their science content knowledge through short audio podcasts, supplemented with relevant resources. The 2015-2016 PAESTA President Kathy Tait generated the idea of tapping in to the content expertise of higher education faculty, post-doctoral researchers, and graduate students to assist K-12 teachers with increasing their own Earth and space content knowledge. As time and resources for professional development are decreasing for K-12 teachers, PAESTA is committed to not only providing curricular resources through our online database of inquiry-based exercises in the PAESTA Classroom, but providing an opportunity to learn science content from professionals in an audio format.Our goal at PAESTA has been to release at least one new podcast per month that answers the questions asked by PAESTA members. Each podcast is recorded by an Earth/space science professional with content expertise and placed online with supporting images, links, and relevant exercises found in the PAESTA Classroom. Each podcast is available through the PAESTA website (http://www.paesta.psu.edu/podcasts) and PAESTA iTunes channel (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paesta-podcasts/id1017828453). For ADA compliance, the PAESTA website has a transcript for each audio file. In order to provide these podcasts, we need the participation of both K-12 teachers and science professionals. On the PAESTA Podcast website, K-12 teachers can submit discipline questions for us to pass along to our content experts, questions relating to the "what" and "how" of the Earth and space sciences, as well as questions about Earth and space science careers. We ask science professionals for help in answering the questions posed by teachers. We include online instructions and tips to help scientists generate their podcast and supporting materials.
Development of an Attitude Scale to Assess K-12 Teachers' Attitudes toward Nanotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Yu-Ling

2012-05-01

To maximize the contributions of nanotechnology to this society, at least 60 countries have put efforts into this field. In Taiwan, a government-funded K-12 Nanotechnology Programme was established to train K-12 teachers with adequate nanotechnology literacy to foster the next generation of Taiwanese people with sufficient knowledge in nanotechnology. In the present study, the Nanotechnology Attitude Scale for K-12 teachers (NAS-T) was developed to assess K-12 teachers' attitudes toward nanotechnology. The NAS-T included 23 Likert-scale items that can be grouped into three components: importance of nanotechnology, affective tendencies in science teaching, and behavioural tendencies to teach nanotechnology. A sample of 233 K-12 teachers who have participated in the K-12 Nanotechnology Programme was included in the present study to investigate the psychometric properties of the NAS-T. The exploratory factor analysis of this teacher sample suggested that the NAS-T was a three-factor model that explained 64.11% of the total variances. This model was also confirmed by the confirmatory factor analysis to validate the factor structure of the NAS-T. The Cronbach's alpha values of three NAS-T subscales ranged from 0.89 to 0.95. Moderate to strong correlations among teachers' NAS-T domain scores, self-perception of own nanoscience knowledge, and their science-teaching efficacy demonstrated good convergent validity of the NAS-T. As a whole, psychometric properties of the NAS-T indicated that this instrument is an effective instrument for assessing K-12 teachers' attitudes toward nanotechnology. The NAS-T will serve as a valuable tool to evaluate teachers' attitude changes after participating in the K-12 Nanotechnology Programme.
Designing GIS Learning Materials for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Jung Eun

2017-01-01

Although previous studies have proven the usefulness and effectiveness of geographic information system (GIS) use in the K-12 classroom, the rate of teacher adoption remains low. The identified major barrier to its use is a lack of teachers' background and experience. To solve this limitation, many organisations have provided GIS-related teacher…
Introducing Algebraic Structures through Solving Equations: Vertical Content Knowledge for K-12 Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasserman, Nicholas H.

2014-01-01

Algebraic structures are a necessary aspect of algebraic thinking for K-12 students and teachers. An approach for introducing the algebraic structure of groups and fields through the arithmetic properties required for solving simple equations is summarized; the collective (not individual) importance of these axioms as a foundation for algebraic…
Diversity Awareness for K-6 Teachers: The Impact on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Rona Leach

2011-01-01

"Diversity Awareness for K-6 Teachers: The Impact on Student Learning" is a resource guide for elementary teachers and college-level student teachers for teaching diversity awareness across the various areas of content. It contains many exciting activities teachers can use to enhance learning while making learning and teaching fun and exciting.…
Survey of Teachers' Use of Planetary Data for Authentic Research in K-12 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, S. J.; Slater, T. F.; Shipp, S.; Lowes, L.

2007-12-01

Science education reform documents universally call for students to have authentic experiences using real data in the context of their science education that mimic actual research. In order for planetary scientists to provide the most useful data or professional development for K-12 teachers, a survey was undertaken to determine how teachers are currently using planetary science data and, if not, why not. A national survey collected data from 320 teachers from 42 states. Teachers targeted for this survey were those who are most likely to be knowledgeable in the ins and outs of using online planetary data. When asked to identify the ESS online resources that they access five or more days per year the three more commonly used websites were USGS.gov (28%), GoogleEarth (23%), and Volcano World (12%). However, at this time, the use of online data for inquiry and analysis in the classroom is actually quite rare. Survey results indicate that 41-24% of teachers use student collected data and teacher- produced hard copies of data for the bulk of any inquiry or analysis that is conducted in class. Most often (52%) teachers' primary use of the internet in ESS involves the downloading of images to share with students. Only 25- 32% of these teachers report that they use online data, in the forms of large WWW data sets real time data, or virtual online data, to engage students in inquiry or data analysis. The most noteworthy finding is that 89% of teachers report that they rarely use the most open and authentic forms of inquiry when instructing students. Data shows that the types of inquiry always or usually used by teachers are confirmation activities (38%) or structured inquiry (46%), in which students investigate the teacher-provided question, using a prescribed procedure. 81% of ESS teachers stated that the amount of time allocated to inquiry in their classrooms is either not enough, or wholly insufficient. Teachers did not perceive that inquiry increases students
Development of Constructivist-Based Distance Learning Environments: A Knowledge Base for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herring, Mary Corwin

2004-01-01

In response to societal shifts, K-12 teachers are struggling to design effective learning environments. The advent of increased access to world-linking technology has extended the use of distance education to enrich and expand the learning landscape for students. A number of individuals have suggested that a body of learning theory,…
Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Engaging K-12 Educators, Students, and the General Public in Space Science Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

The session "Engaging K-12 Educators, Students, and the General Public in Space Science Exploration" included the following reports:Training Informal Educators Provides Leverage for Space Science Education and Public Outreach; Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education: K-12 Teacher Retention, Renewal, and Involvement in Professional Science; Telling the Tale of Two Deserts: Teacher Training and Utilization of a New Standards-based, Bilingual E/PO Product; Lindstrom M. M. Tobola K. W. Stocco K. Henry M. Allen J. S. McReynolds J. Porter T. T. Veile J. Space Rocks Tell Their Secrets: Space Science Applications of Physics and Chemistry for High School and College Classes -- Update; Utilizing Mars Data in Education: Delivering Standards-based Content by Exposing Educators and Students to Authentic Scientific Opportunities and Curriculum; K. E. Little Elementary School and the Young Astronaut Robotics Program; Integrated Solar System Exploration Education and Public Outreach: Theme, Products and Activities; and Online Access to the NEAR Image Collection: A Resource for Educators and Scientists.
Scientists and K-12: Experience from The Science House

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, David G.

2003-03-01

In working with K-12 science and mathematics education, scientists may take on many different roles - from presenter to full-time partner. These roles are illustrated in the activities of The Science House, a K-12 education program of North Carolina State University, (www.science-house.org) which partners with teachers and students across the state to promote inquiry-based learning in mathematics and science. While it is important to involve scientists in K-12, most universities do not have effective means to make the connections. In our efforts to do so, which began with a few teacher workshops and now encompasses six offices across NC, we have sought to join the interests of the university (research, teaching, student recruiting) to the needs of K-12. Our programs now include teacher training workshops, student science camps and curriculum projects in several states. We are reminded that K-12 science education is interdisciplinary; local and political; and a process, not a problem to be solved and forgotten. Partially supported by NSF (CHE-9876674 and DBI-0115462), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
Analysis of 3D Modeling Software Usage Patterns for K-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Yi-Chieh; Liao, Wen-Hung; Chi, Ming-Te; Li, Tsai-Yen

2016-01-01

In response to the recent trend in maker movement, teachers are learning 3D techniques actively and bringing 3D printing into the classroom to enhance variety and creativity in designing lectures. This study investigates the usage pattern of a 3D modeling software, Qmodel Creator, which is targeted at K-12 students. User logs containing…
K-12 Teachers' Perceptions of and Their Satisfaction with Interaction Type in Blended Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Yu-Chun; Belland, Brian R.; Schroder, Kerstin E. E.; Walker, Andrew E.

2014-01-01

Blended learning is an effective approach to instruction that combines features of face-to-face learning and computer-mediated learning. This study investigated the relationship between student perceptions of three types of interaction and blended learning course satisfaction. The participants included K-12 teachers enrolled in a graduate-level…
Scientific Participation at the Poles: K-12 Teachers in Polar Science for Careers and Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowley, S.; Warburton, J.

2012-12-01

PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded program in which K-12 teachers participate in hands-on field research experiences in the polar regions. PolarTREC highlights the importance of involving teachers in scientific research in regards to their careers as educators and their ability to engage students in the direct experience of science. To date, PolarTREC has placed over 90 teachers with research teams in the Arctic and Antarctic. Published results of our program evaluation quantify the effect of the field experience on the teachers' use of the real scientific process in the classroom, the improvement in science content taught in classrooms, and the use of non-fiction texts (real data and science papers) as primary learning tools for students. Teachers and students both report an increase of STEM literacy in the classroom content, confidence in science education, as well as a markedly broadened outlook of science as essential to their future. Research conducted with science teams affirms that they are achieving broader impacts when PolarTREC teachers are involved in their expeditions. Additionally, they reported that these teachers making vital contributions to the success of the scientific project.
Teacher Working Conditions: Perceptions of Novice and Experienced K-12 Virtual School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Tiffany

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine if there is a difference between novice and experienced teachers' perceptions of the working conditions at the K-12 virtual school. This study examined the teachers' total years employed at the school to determine if a difference exists in the groups' perceptions of the teacher working conditions. Teacher…
Educating K-12 Students about Glacier Dynamics in a Changing Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stearns, L. A.; Hamilton, G. S.

2005-12-01

Public awareness of climate change is growing in the United States. Popular movies, books and magazines are frequently addressing the issue of global warming - some with careful scientific research, but many with unrealistic statements. Early education about the basic principles and processes of climate change is necessary for the general public to distinguish fact from fiction. The U.S. National Science Foundation's GK-12 program (GK-12; grades K to 12) currently in its sixth year, provides an opportunity for scientific enrichment for students and their teachers at the K-12 level through collaborative pairings with science and engineering graduate students (the Fellows). The NSF GK-12 program at the University of Maine has three goals: to enrich the scientific education of the students by providing role models, expertise, and equipment that may not be accessible otherwise; to provide professional development for the teachers through curriculum enrichment and participation at science conferences; and to improve the teaching and communication skills of the Fellows. The University of Maine is one of over 100 U. S. universities participating in this program. During the 2004-05 academic year, 11 graduate and one undergraduate student Fellows, advised by University faculty members, taught at schools across the state of Maine. Fellows from, biology, earth science, ecology, engineering, food science, forestry, and marine science, and taught in their area of expertise. We created a hands-on activity for middle and high school students that describes glacier mass balance in a changing climate. The students make a glacier using glue, water and detergent ('flubber') and construct a glacier valley using plastic sheeting. Flubber behaves in mechanically similar ways to glacier ice, undergoing plastic deformation at low stresses and exhibiting brittle failure at high stresses. Students are encouraged to run several tests with different values for valley slope, glacier mass
Teaching Decolonial Sounds on the Margins: Reflections on a K-12 Teacher Workshop Covering Black & Brown Musical Transculturation in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cervantes, Marco Antonio

2015-01-01

To demonstrate the significance of cultural crossings in Texas and how cultural exchanges can inform teachers and students in the areas of history, fine arts, geography, and social studies, the author constructed a Summer 2013 teacher workshop for Texas K-12 teachers through the Smithsonian Affiliated Institute of Texan Cultures. The author…
Partnerships Between K-12 Schools and Universities: Who Benefits?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regens, N.; Hall-Wallace, M. K.

2001-05-01

Collaborations between K-12 schools and universities for the purpose of improving science education are growing in number, but many question their effectiveness. After many years of outreach to local teachers, schools and districts, we have developed a collaboration that more effectively addresses school district goals and needs while providing university faculty and graduate students with real opportunities to contribute to science education in the schools. Funded by the NSF GK-12 program, we are working directly with school district curriculum specialists and classroom teachers to implement inquiry-based science investigations. Projects range from developing long-term research projects in middle and high school classrooms to assisting K-6 teachers in using kit-based science curriculum. As part of our program, we have gathered several types of data to document the impact of our efforts. Using surveys of knowledge and attitudes, we measured significant improvements in college student's knowledge and attitudes about inquiry teaching methods and the K-12 education system. Through analysis of the college student's journals, we have also documented critical elements of an effective collaboration. These journals, combined with evaluations by classroom teachers, provide evidence of how the program impacts the graduate students professionally. We have also surveyed classroom teachers to measure the impact of the college students on their attitudes about teaching science and the long-term impact of the collaboration on their classroom teaching.

Test Of Astronomy STandards TOAST Survey of K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, Timothy F.; Slater, Stephanie; Stork, Debra J.

2015-01-01

Discipline-based education research in astronomy is focused on understanding the underlying mental mechanisms used by students when learning astronomy and teachers when teaching astronomy. Systematic surveys of K-12 teacher' knowledge in the domain of astronomy are conducted periodically in order to better focus and improve professional development. These surveys are most often done when doing contemporary needs assessments or when new assessment instruments are readily available. Designed by Stephanie J. Slater of the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research, the 29-item multiple-choice format Test Of Astronomy STandards - TOAST is a carefully constructed, criterion-referenced instrument constructed upon a solid list of clearly articulated and widely agreed upon learning objectives. The targeted learning concepts tightly align with the consensus learning goals stated by the American Astronomical Society - Chair's Conference on ASTRO 101, the American Association of the Advancement of Science's Project 2061 Benchmarks, and the National Research Council's 1996 National Science Education Standards. Without modification, the TOAST is also aligned with the significantly less ambitious 2013 Next Generation Science Standards created by Achieve, Inc., under the auspices of the National Research Council. This latest survey reveals that K-12 teachers still hold many of the same fundamental misconceptions uncovered by earlier surveys. This includes misconceptions about the size, scale, and structure of the cosmos as well as misconceptions about the nature of physical processes at work in astronomy. This suggests that professional development in astronomy is still needed and that modern curriculum materials are best served if they provide substantial support for implementation.
Extending the Pathway: Building on a National Science Foundation Workforce Development Project for Underserved k-12 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slattery, W.; Smith, T.

2014-12-01

With new career openings in the geosciences expected and a large number of presently employed geoscientists retiring in the next decade there is a critical need for a new cadre of geoscientists to fill these positions. A project funded by the National Science Foundation titled K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators and Higher Education Faculty: Partners Helping Rural Disadvantaged Students Stay on the Pathway to a Geoscience Career involving Wright State University and the Ripley, Lewis, Union, Huntington k-12 school district in Appalachian Ohio took led to dozens of seventh and eighth grade students traveling to Sandy Hook, New Jersey for a one week field experience to study oceanography with staff of the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. Teachers, parent chaperones, administrators and university faculty accompanied the students in the field. Teachers worked alongside their students in targeted professional development during the weeklong field experience. During the two academic years of the project, both middle school and high school teachers received professional development in Earth system science so that all students, not just those that were on the summer field experience could receive enhanced science learning. All ninth grade high school students were given the opportunity to take a high school/college dual credit Earth system science course. Community outreach provided widespread knowledge of the project and interest among parents to have their children participate. In addition, ninth grade students raised money themselves to fund a trip to the International Field Studies Forfar Field Station on Andros Island, Bahamas to study a tropical aquatic system. Students who before this project had never traveled outside of Ohio are currently discussing ways that they can continue on the pathway to a geoscience career by applying for internships for the summer between their junior and senior years. These are positive steps towards taking charge of their
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Teacher, 2016

2016-01-01

Science teachers and mentors continue to be challenged to meet the high expectations of "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" and the "Next Generation Science Standards." Indeed the Framework urges teachers to help learners "[build] progressively more sophisticated explanations of natural phenomena..." while the…
NASA Education Activity Training (NEAT): Professional Development for Montana K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamson, Kathryn; McKenzie, D.; Des Jardins, A.; Key, J.; Kanode, C.; Willoughby, S.

2012-05-01

Piloted during the 2011-2012 academic year, the NASA Education Activity Training (NEAT) teacher workshop program has introduced five solar astronomy and space weather activities to over forty Montana K-12 teachers. Because many Montana schools are geographically isolated (40% of Montana students live more than 50 miles from a city) and/or serve traditionally underrepresented groups (primarily Native Americans), professional development for teachers can be costly and time consuming. However, with funding shared by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly EPO team and the Montana Space Grant Consortium, graduate student specialists are able to host the two-hour NEAT workshops on-site at the schools free of charge, and participating teachers earn two continuing education credits. Leveraging the existing catalogue of research-based NASA activities, the featured NEAT activities were chosen for their ease-of-use and applicability to Montana science standards. These include three advanced activities for older students, such as a paper plate activity for the June 5th, 2012 Transit of Venus, Kinesthetic Astronomy, and the Herschel Infrared experiment, along with two simpler activities for the younger students, such as Solar Cookies and the Electromagnetic War card game. Feedback surveys show that NEAT workshop participants were interested and engaged in the activities and planned on using the activities in their classrooms. With such positive responses, the NEAT program has been a huge success and can serve as a model for other institutions looking to increase their space public outreach and education.
Soil Science Society of America - K-12 Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindbo, David L.; Loynachan, Tom; Mblia, Monday; Robinson, Clay; Chapman, Susan

2013-04-01

The Soil Science Society of America created its K12 Committee in 2006 in part to compliment the Dig It! The Secrets of Soil exhibit that opened in July 2008 at the Smithsonian's Institution's Nation Museum of Natural History (of which SSS was a founding sponsor). The committee's work began quickly with a website designed to provide resources for K12 teachers. The first accomplishments included reviewing and posting links to web based information already available to teachers. These links were sorted by subject and grade level to make it easier for teachers to navigate the web and find what they needed quickly. Several presentations and lessons designed for K12 teachers were also posted at this time. Concurrent with this effort a subcommittee review and organized the national teaching standards to show where soils could fit into the overall K12 curriculum. As the website was being developed another subcommittee developed a soils book (Soil! Get the Inside Scoop, 2008) to further compliment the Dig It! exhibit. This was a new endeavor for SSSA having never worked with the non-academic audience in developing a book. Peer-reviews of this book included not only scientist but also students in order to make sure the book was attractive to them. Once the book was published and the website developed it became clear more outreach was needed. SSSA K12 Committee has attended both the National Science Teachers Association (since 2008) the USA Science and Engineering Festival (since 2010) with exhibits and workshops. It has cooperated and contributed to the American Geologic Institutes' Earth Science Week materials with brochures and lesson plans and with National Association of Conservation Districts by providing peer-review and distribution of materials. The most recent developments from the committee include a web redesign that is more student and teacher friendly, the development of a peer-review system to publish K12 Lesson Plans, and finally the publication of a new soils
Teachers Taking Action with Student Perception Survey Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villa, Lessita Ann Lorin

2017-01-01

As scrutiny of teacher effectiveness increases, there is a greater call for multiple instruments to measure teacher effectiveness and provide robust feedback to support teacher growth and development. Student perception surveys, questionnaires completed by K-12 students about their teachers, have increasingly been used to evaluate teachers and…
Educators in Industry: An Exploratory Study to Determine How Teacher Externships Influence K-12 Classroom Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Bradley; Shume, Teresa

2018-01-01

This exploratory study investigates the impacts of industry-based externships for K-12 teachers, and reports teachers' perspectives on how these experiences influenced K-12 classroom practices. The program of focus in this research study is the Educators in Industry: K-12 Externship Program. For four weeks in the summer, teacher-participants are…
K-12 Art Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furney, Trudy; And Others

The development of students in various art fields is the focus of this K-12 art curriculum guide. The philosophy of the art program and the roles of administrator, teacher, and parent are outlined. The underlying school community relationships, and the objective, goals, and purposes of art education are described. Phases of child development in…
K-12 Teacher Perceptions Regarding the Flipped Classroom Model for Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gough, Evan; DeJong, David; Grundmeyer, Trent; Baron, Mark

2017-01-01

A great deal of evidence can be cited from higher education literature on the effectiveness of the flipped classroom; however, very little research was discovered on the flipped classroom at the K-12 level. This study examined K-12 teachers' perceptions regarding the flipped classroom and differences in teachers' perceptions based on grade level…
AMS Professional Development Courses: Arming K-12 Teachers with the Tools Needed to Increase Students' Scientific Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brey, J. A.; Geer, I. W.; Weinbeck, R. S.; Moran, J. M.; Nugnes, K. A.

2012-12-01

To better prepare tomorrow's leaders, it is of utmost importance that today's teachers are science literate. To meet that need, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Education Program offers content-rich, professional development courses and training workshops for precollege teachers in the geosciences. During the fall and spring semesters, the AMS in partnership with NOAA, NASA, and SUNY Brockport, offers a suite of pre-college teacher development courses, DataStreme Atmosphere, DataStreme Ocean and DataStreme Earth's Climate System (ECS). These courses are delivered to small groups of K-12 teachers through Local Implementation Teams (LITs) positioned throughout the U.S. The courses use current, real-world environmental data to investigate the atmosphere, ocean, and climate system and consist of weekly online study materials, weekly mentoring, and several face-to-face meetings, all supplemented by a provided textbook and investigations manual. DataStreme ECS takes an innovative approach to studying climate science, by exploring the fundamental science of Earth's climate system and addressing the societal impacts relevant to today's students and teachers. The course investigates natural and human forcings and feedbacks to examine mitigation and adaptation strategies for the future. Information and data from respected organizations, such as the IPCC, the US Global Change Research Program, NASA, and NOAA are used throughout the course, including in the online and printed investigations. In addition, participants differentiate between climate, climate variability, and climate change through the AMS Conceptual Energy Model, a basic climate model that follows the flow of energy from space to Earth and back. Participants also have access to NASA's EdGCM, a research-grade Global Climate Model where they can explore various future climate scenarios in the same way that actual research scientists do. Throughout all of the courses, teachers have the opportunity to expand
Using an Interdisciplinary Approach to Enhance Climate Literacy for K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanselman, J. A.; Oches, E. A.; Sliko, J.; Wright, L.

2014-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (2014) will begin to change how K-12 teachers teach science. Using a scaffolding approach, the standards focus on a depth of knowledge across multiple content areas. This philosophy should encourage inquiry-based teaching methods, provided the teacher has both the knowledge and the confidence to teach the content. Although confidence to teach science is high among secondary science (biology, general science, chemistry) teachers, depth of knowledge may be lacking in certain areas, including climate science. To address this issue, a graduate course in climate science (Massachusetts Colleges Online Course of Distinction award winner) was developed to include inquiry-based instruction, connections to current research, and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching science. With the support of the InTeGrate program (SERC) at Carleton College, a module was developed to utilize cli-fi (climate science present in fictional literature) and related climate data. Graduate students gain an appreciation of scientific communication and an understanding of climate data and its connection to societal issues. In addition, the graduate students also gain the ability to connect interdisciplinary concepts for a deeper understanding of climate science and have the opportunity. By the end of the course, the graduate students use the content learned and the examples of pedagogical tools to develop their own activities in his or her classroom.
The Experiences of School Counselors in Reducing Relational Aggression among Female Students K-12: A Generic Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stringer, Tomeka C.

2014-01-01

The current generic qualitative study investigated the experiences of eight K-12 school counselors working with female students and relational aggression. School counselors can be a resource in schools to help students that may have been involved with relational aggression incidents. They can collaborate with administrators, teachers, parents, and…
Developing Partnerships between Higher Education Faculty, K-12 Science Teachers, and School Administrators via MSP initiatives: The RITES Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caulkins, J. L.; Kortz, K. M.; Murray, D. P.

2011-12-01

The Rhode Island Technology Enhanced Science Project (RITES) is a NSF-funded Math and Science Partnership (MSP) project that seeks to improve science education. RITES is, at its core, a unique partnership that fosters relationships between middle and high school science teachers, district and school administrators, higher education (HE) faculty members, and science education researchers. Their common goal is to enhance scientific inquiry, increase classroom technology usage, and improve state level science test scores. In one of the more visible examples of this partnership, middle and high school science teachers work closely with HE science faculty partners to design and teach professional development (PD) workshops. The PD sessions focus on technology-enhanced scientific investigations (e.g. use of probes, online simulations, etc.), exemplify inquiry-based instruction, and relate expert content knowledge. Teachers from these sessions express substantial satisfaction in the program, report increased comfort levels in teaching the presented materials (both via post-workshop surveys), and show significant gains in content knowledge (via pre-post assessments). Other benefits to this kind of partnership, in which K-12 and HE teachers are considered equals, include: 1) K-12 teachers are empowered through interactions with HE faculty and other science teachers in the state; 2) HE instructors become more informed not only about good pedagogical practices, but also practical aspects of teaching science such as engaging students; and 3) the PD sessions tend to be much stronger than ones designed and presented solely by HE scientists, for while HE instructors provide content expertise, K-12 teachers provide expertise in K-12 classroom practice and implementation. Lastly, the partnership is mutually beneficial for the partners involved because both sides learn practical ways to teach science and inquiry at different levels. In addition to HE faculty and K-12 science teacher
Teachers Know Best: Making Data Work for Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2015

2015-01-01

As part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's broader efforts to improve educational opportunities for all students, the "Teachers Know Best" research project seeks to encourage innovation in K-12 education by helping product developers and those who procure resources for teachers better understand teachers' views. The original…
Engineering a Dynamic Science Learning Environment for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardre, Patricia L.; Nanny, Mark; Refai, Hazen; Ling, Chen; Slater, Janis

2010-01-01

The present study follows a cohort of 17 K-12 teachers through a six-week resident learning experience in science and engineering, and on into the planning and implementation of applications for their classrooms. This Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program was examined using the strategic approach of design-based research, with its fluid,…
Preparing Teacher Candidates for Virtual Field Placements via an Exposure to K-12 Online Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Tian; Hibbard, Laura; Franklin, Teresa; Moore, David Richard

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: The goal of this project was to determine what effects exposure to online K-12 teaching and learning activities had on teacher candidates' perceptions of K-12 online learning, how the exposure allowed teacher candidates to reach greater understanding of online pedagogy, and what effect such exposure had on teacher candidates'…
The New Digital Advance Team--America's K-12 Students Leading the Way to Transforming Learning with 21st Century Technology Tools. Selected National Findings: Speak Up 2008 for Students, Teachers, Parents and Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Project Tomorrow, 2009

2009-01-01

Since 2003, the Speak Up National Research Project has collected and shared the ideas and views of more than 1.5 million K-12 students, teachers, parents and administrators on education and technology. This dataset provides national education leaders and policy makers with the largest collection of authentic, unfiltered stakeholder feedback to…
Schooling Teachers, Schooling Ourselves: Insights and Reflections from Teaching K-12 Teachers How to Use Hip-Hop to Educate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irby, Decoteau J.; Hall, H. Bernard; Hill, Marc L.

2013-01-01

Hip-hop-based education (HHBE) research analyzes how hip-hop culture is used to produce favorable educational outcomes. Despite its richness, the work reveals little about how to prepare practicing K-12 teachers to use HHBE toward the critical ends reflected in extant HHBE literature. In this article, we challenge many tacit assumptions of HHBE…
A Graduate Student's Experience and Perspective on a Student-Teacher-Researcher Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostic, J.; Stylinski, C.; Doty, C.

2017-12-01

Teachers and their K-12 students lack firsthand experience in science research and often harbor misconceptions about science practices and the nature of science. To address this challenge, the NOAA-funded Student-Teacher-Researcher (STAR) partnership that provides rural high school students with authentic research experiences investigating the amount and sources of nitrate in schoolyard runoff. Teachers received training, guiding curricular materials aligned with NGSS and in-classroom support. With a focus on evidence-based reasoning skills, students actively participate in the research process through sample collection, data analysis, and an in-person discussion of conclusions and implications with our scientist team. As a member of this team, I assisted with refining the study design, analyzing nitrate isotope runoff samples, and sharing insights and feedback with students during the in-person discussion session. Assessment results indicate student gained an understanding of nitrate pollution and of science practices. As a graduate student, young scientist, and possessor of a B.S. in Science Education, I already recognized the value of involving K-12 students and teachers in authentic research experiences, as these experiences expose students to the nature of science while also improving content knowledge. During the STAR partnership, I learned firsthand some of the obstacles presented during outreach involving partnerships between a research institution and schools, such as inflexibility of school scheduling and the need for flexibility with research questions requiring complex lab analysis. Additionally, I discovered the challenge of working systemically across a school district, which can have broad impact but limit student experiences. Highlights of my experience included interactions with students and teachers, especially when students have unexpected answers to my questions, providing novel explanations for patterns observed in the data. Despite the
Surveying Chinese In-Service K12 Teachers' Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qingtang; Zhang, Si; Wang, Qiyun

2015-01-01

Technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) has been considered as a promising theoretical framework to guide teacher educators in designing and developing in-service K12 teacher education programs. However, it seems unclear whether in-service teachers have different TPACK perceptions when entering the education programs. This study…

It's All about Student Learning: Assessing Teacher Candidates' Ability to Impact P-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wise, A. E., Ed.; Ehrenberg, P., Ed.; Leibbrand, J., Ed.

2010-01-01

"It's All About Student Learning Assessing Teacher Candidates' Ability to Impact P-12 Students", provides practical assistance for institutions designing or revising assessment systems or individual assessments for use by units or programs. The publication includes performance assessments currently used by teacher preparation institutions and…
Native Chinese-Speaking K-12 Language Teachers' Beliefs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lü, Chan; Lavadenz, Magaly

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between the beliefs and practices of K-12 native Chinese teachers on Chinese language and literacy instruction. Using a descriptive-exploratory design, this study employed a mixed-methods approach consisting of three steps: (1) a teacher beliefs questionnaire, (2) classroom observations and videotaping,…
Increasing the Roles and Significance of Teachers in Policymaking for K-12 Engineering Education: Proceedings of a Convocation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Steve

2017-01-01

Engineering is a small but growing part of K-12 education. Curricula that use the principles and practices of engineering are providing opportunities for elementary, middle, and high school students to design solutions to problems of immediate practical and societal importance. Professional development programs are showing teachers how to use…
SENDIT: North Dakota's K-12 Telecommunications Network.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sackman, Gleason

SENDIT is a telecommunications network for North Dakota educators and students in the K-12 environment. Through SENDIT, both teachers and students have access to the Internet, and some of the isolation associated with the rurality of North Dakota has been diminished. SENDIT was developed by the North Dakota State University School of Education and…
Unified Science Approach K-12, Proficiency Levels 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oickle, Eileen M., Ed.

Presented is the second part of the K-12 unified science materials used in the public schools of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Detailed descriptions are made of the roles of students and teachers, purposes of the bibliography, major concepts in unified science, processes of inquiry, a scheme and model for scientific literacy, and program…
First Year K-12 Teachers as High Leverage Point to Implement GEMS Space Science Curriculum Sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slater, Timothy F.; Mendez, B. J.; Schultz, G.; Wierman, T.

2013-01-01

The recurring challenge for curriculum developers is how to efficiently prepare K-12 classroom teachers to use new curricula. First-year teachers, numbering nearly 250,000 in the US each year, have the greatest potential to impact the largest number of students because they have potential to be in the classroom for thirty years. At the same time, these novice teachers are often the most open minded about adopting curricular innovation because they are not yet deeply entrenched in existing practices. To take advantage of this high leverage point, a collaborative of space scientists and science educators at the University of California, Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and Center for Science Education at the Space Sciences Laboratory with experts from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the University of Wyoming, and the CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education experimented with a unique professional development model focused on helping master teachers work closely with pre-service teachers during their student teaching internship field experience. The Advancing Mentor and Novice Teachers in Space Science (AMANTISS) team first identified master teachers who supervise novice, student teachers and trained these master teachers to use the GEMS Space Science Curriculum Sequence. Then, these master teachers were mentored in coaching interning student teachers assigned to them in using GEMS materials. Evaluation showed that novice teachers mentored by the master teachers felt knowledgeable after teaching the GEMS units. However, they seemed relatively less confident about the solar system and objects beyond the solar system. Overall, mentees felt strongly at the end of the year that they have acquired good strategies for teaching the various topics, suggesting that the support they received while teaching and working with a mentor was of real benefit to them. Funding provided in part by NASA ROSES AMANTISS NNX09AD51G
Integration of Geospatial Technologies into K-12 Curriculum: An Investigation of Teacher and Student Perceptions and Student Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Donna L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore outcomes of a GIS/GPS integration process: to (a) examine student responses to GIS and GPS inclusion in their curriculum, (b) determine whether a relationship exists between inclusion of GIS into existing K-12 curriculum and student achievement, (c) examine the effectiveness of GIS professional development…
Overcoming Constraints of Building Successful Partnerships Incorporating STEM Research Into K-12 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radencic, S.; McNeal, K. S.; Pierce, D.; Hare, D.

2011-12-01

The Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) program at Mississippi State University (MSU), funded by the NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK12) program, focuses on the advancement of Earth and Space science education in K-12 classrooms. INSPIRE is currently in its second year of partnering ten graduate students from the STEM fields of Geosciences, Engineering and Chemistry at MSU with five teachers from local, rural school districts. The five year project serves to increase inquiry and technology experiences in science and math while enhancing graduate student's communication skills as they create interactive lessons linking their STEM research focus to the state and national standards covered in the classrooms. Each graduate student is responsible for the development of two lessons each month of the school year that are then published on the INSPIRE project webpage, www.gk12.msstate.edu, where they are a free resource for any K-12 classroom teacher seeking innovative activities for their classrooms. Many of the participating teachers and graduate students share activities developed with non-participating teachers, expanding INSPIRE's outreach throughout the local community. Numerous challenges were met during the formation of the program as well as throughout the first year in which the project management team worked together to find solutions ensuring that INSPIRE maintained successful partnerships for all involved. Proposed solutions of the following key components were identified by INSPIRE through the development, implementation, and continuous evaluation (internal and external) of the first year of the program as areas that can pose challenges to the construction of strong relationships between STEM research and K-12 classrooms: initializing the partnerships with the K-12 classrooms and STEM graduate fields at the university; maintaining strong partnerships; providing appropriate training and support; developing sound
Learning to Teach Online: A Systematic Review of the Literature on K-12 Teacher Preparation for Teaching Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore-Adams, Brianne L.; Jones, W. Monty; Cohen, Jonathan

2016-01-01

There is a growing need for qualified online instructors to teach the expanding population of online K-12 students. To meet this need, teachers must be provided learning opportunities to acquire the specific types of knowledge and skills necessary to teach online. In this systematic review of the literature, we utilize the TPACK framework to…
K-12 Online Learning and the Training Needs for School Psychology Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tysinger, P. Dawn; Tysinger, Jeff; Diamanduros, Terry; Kennedy, Kathryn

2013-01-01

K-12 online learning is growing at an exponential rate in the United States and around the world. Students and teachers are entering and embracing the K-12 online learning environment. Thus, it becomes imperative for school psychologists to follow. In order to offer the most productive learning environment for all students, the services provided…
Enhancing the Impact of Evidence-Based Publications on K-12 ESL Teacher Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, Marilyn L.; Lee, Kent; Rossiter, Marian J.

2017-01-01

The reading of current research-informed publications is an essential component of teacher professional development that has the potential to lead to or reinforce the implementation of effective instructional practices. To our knowledge, no studies have examined kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12) ESL teacher engagement in professional reading related…
Teaching Handicapped Students English: A Resource Handbook for K-12 Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Jane W., Ed.

One of five volumes devoted to teaching content subjects to the handicapped, the book addresses ways in which elementary and secondary regular class teachers have successfully worked with mainstreamed students in English. The following titles and authors are included: "Chris Learns to Read" (E. Roake); "Working Together" (B. Bodner-Johnson);…
Generation Y Student-Teachers' Motivational Factors: Retention Implications for K-12 Educational Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bontempo, Brian

2010-01-01

Generation Y represents a growing number of student-teachers who will impact the future of educational practice, yet little research has been conducted for this demographic group. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to identify motivational factors of neophyte teachers and the retention implications these findings had on Kindergarten…
Teacher Participation in Online Communities: Why Do Teachers Want to Participate in Self-Generated Online Communities of K-12 Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hur, Jung Won; Brush, Thomas A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine reasons for teacher participation in online communities of K-12 teachers. The authors interviewed 23 teachers from three self-generated online communities and analyzed more than 2,000 postings in those communities. The findings indicated five reasons for participation: (a) sharing emotions, (b) utilizing…
Investing in K-12 Technology Equipment: Strategies for State Policymakers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Dixie Griffin

This report examines decisions regarding investments in K-12 technology. The first section presents an overview of technology in K-12 public schools, including a sampling of how technology is being used to further education goals for teachers, students, and administrators. The second section establishes a set of figures that indicate the current…
Space Science Field Workshops for K-12 Teacher-Scientist Teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, P. B.; Kiefer, W. S.; Treiman, A. H.; Irving, A. J.; Johnson, K. M.

2002-01-01

In collaboration with NASA Space Grant Consortia and other partners, we developed workshops for K-12 teachers that involve intensive, direct interaction with scientists. Field trips allow informal and spontaneous interaction, encouraging active participation. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.
Professional development and teacher impacts: The NSF GK-12 experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camasta, Susan Fullett

Professional development is a central piece in the continuing education of teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine professional development for teachers, in particular, the impact of one program that has the potential to positively influence educators as their careers evolve. Twenty-seven teachers who served as participants in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Fellows in K-12 Education Program (GK-12) volunteered to be interviewed about their experiences as teacher partners with graduate student Fellows who were considered experts in their content area and research methods. The teachers taught 1st through 12th grades in 22 different schools, and represented nine GK-12 programs in six states. The data collected in this qualitative study indicate enduring impacts on teachers and those included: affective impacts, as well as impacts on their practice, their colleagues and their professional involvement. In addition, Fellow and student impacts were reported. The teacher reports indicate that the design and goals of the GK-12 program---which is meant to impact graduate student Fellows, teachers and students---are consistent with the literature on best-practice professional development including facilitating teacher change. Thus, this program can serve as a model for designing effective professional development. A limitation of this study is that most of the data collected were from teacher reports.
Getting Teachers Excited about Student Feedback: It's All in the Ask

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Carly; Finefter-Rosenblum, Ilana; Benshoof, Christopher; Gehlbach, Hunter

2016-01-01

Until recently, asking K-12 students--who spend hundreds of hours with their teachers annually--to weigh in on their teachers' performance was considered taboo. Many have questioned students' capacities to provide reliable, fair feedback on teaching quality. Media outlets report that teacher unions staunchly oppose integrating student feedback in…
Students with Special Health Care Needs in K-12 Virtual Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Heidi; Ferdig, Richard E.; Thompson, Lindsay A.; Schottke, Katherine; Black, Erik W.

2016-01-01

This study sought to establish a baseline for understanding the epidemiology of online K-12 students with special health care needs, determine the prevalence in K-12 online schooling of students from certain racial/ethnic backgrounds, those with socioeconomic disadvantages, and determine how these students perform in online classes compared to…
Impact of a Student-Teacher-Scientist Partnership on Students' and Teachers' Content Knowledge, Attitudes toward Science, and Pedagogical Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houseal, Ana K.; Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad; Destefano, Lizanne

2014-01-01

Engaging K-12 students in science-based inquiry is at the center of current science education reform efforts. Inquiry can best be taught through experiential, authentic science experiences, such as those provided by Student-Teacher-Scientist Partnerships (STSPs). However, very little is known about the impact of STSPs on teachers' and…

Development of an Attitude Scale to Assess K-12 Teachers' Attitudes toward Nanotechnology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lan, Yu-Ling

2012-01-01

To maximize the contributions of nanotechnology to this society, at least 60 countries have put efforts into this field. In Taiwan, a government-funded K-12 Nanotechnology Programme was established to train K-12 teachers with adequate nanotechnology literacy to foster the next generation of Taiwanese people with sufficient knowledge in…
Formative Evaluation of Bugscope: A Sustainable World Wide Laboratory for K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thakkar, U.; Carragher, B.; Carroll, L.; Conway, C.; Grosser, B.; Kisseberth, N.; Potter, C. S.; Robinson, S.; Sinn-Hanlon, J.; Stone, D.; Weber, D.

Bugscope is an emerging educational technology project that allows students and teachers across grades K-12 to study insects and other arthropods through remote access and control of an environmental scanning electron microscope from their classroom computers. Teachers and students in 33 schools from 18 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands were…
Super Searchers Go to School: Sharing Online Strategies with K-12 Students, Teachers, and Librarians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valenza, Joyce Kasman

2005-01-01

Twelve prominent K-12 educators and educator librarians share their techniques and tips for helping students become effective, life-long information users. Through a series of skillful interviews, Joyce Kasman Valenza--techlife@school columnist for the "Philadelphia Inquirer" and herself a tech-savvy high school librarian--gets the experts to…
Understanding Web Activity Patterns among Teachers, Students and Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmons, Royce; Clark, B.; Lim, M.

2017-01-01

This study sought to understand generational and role differences in web usage of teachers, teacher candidates and K-12 students in a state in the USA (n = 2261). The researchers employed unique methods, which included using a custom-built persistent web browser to track user behaviours free of self-report, self-selection and perception bias.…
Successful White Mathematics Teachers of African American Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bidwell, Carla R.

2010-01-01

In the United States, a growing disparity exists between the racial composition of teachers and the students they teach. In 2006, 43.1% of K-12 public school students were reported as non-White--in 1990, 32.4% (U.S. Department of Education, 2008). Teachers, however, are predominantly White, 83.3% (U.S. Department of Education, 2007a). Exacerbating…
Different Underlying Motivations and Abilities Predict Student versus Teacher Persistence in an Online Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higashi, Ross M.; Schunn, Christian D.; Flot, Jesse B.

2017-01-01

Free online courses, including Massively Open Online Courses, have great potential to increase the inclusiveness of education, but suffer from very high course dropout rates. A study of 172 K-12 students and 114 K-12 teachers taking the same free, online, summertime programming course finds that student and teacher populations have different…
Teachers as Researcher: Bringing authentic research experiences into the K-12 classroom through the NOAA Teacher-at-Sea program and PolarTREC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pella-Donnelly, M. A.

2009-12-01

Inviting and coordinating a field experience so that a K-12 teacher may participate can create benefits to the school community, the regional community and to a scientific research team. Students are inspired by their teachers’ adventures, are excited to experience real science and begin to consider science careers as possibilities. When a support program is in place; with media outreach mandated, and presentations in the community are encouraged, the greater local community that the teacher lives in becomes more scientifically literate. The community may also become much more aware of the details of the research being done, so that the research itself gains publicity. This educational experience and subsequent outreach may also place the research program in a better position to obtain NSF funding. This presentation will showcase how one teacher provided outreach that directly reached thousands of students and used media contacts to bring the research to more than 100,000 individuals, developed curriculum units based on her research experience, and . The impacts on science teacher retention may also be positive, when science teachers are informed and encouraged by hearing about the potential opportunities that await them. The opportunity for the teachers to grow professionally in content and science process knowledge is also an additional benefit. There have been, in the last few years, national grants available to assist in the retention of science and math teachers, since a high attrition rate also exists. It is opportunities such as those offered by pairing a teacher with a research team, that give teachers some added revitalization to their teaching and renew their drive to involve students in science literacy and understanding.
The Preparation of Teacher Candidates for K-12 Online Learning Environments: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Nicole V.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how teacher education programs may better prepare teacher candidates to teach in K-12 online learning environments. The primary research question addressed was: What specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions should teacher education programs include in their curriculum to better prepare teacher…
Teachers' Use of Student Data Systems to Improve Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Means, Barbara; Gallagher, Lawrence; Padilla, Christine

2007-01-01

Using data from national surveys of teachers and school districts, this brief provides the first national estimates of the prevalence of K-12 teachers' access to and use of electronic student data management systems. Specifically, the brief seeks to determine how broadly student data systems are being implemented in districts and schools; the…
Integrating local environmental research into K-12 science classrooms and the value of graduate student-educator partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, N. D.; Petrik-Finley, R.

2015-12-01

Collaboration between researchers and K-12 educators enables an invaluable exchange of teaching philosophies and educational tools. Programs that partner graduate students with K-12 educators serve the dual purpose of training future educators and providing K-12 students with unique opportunities and perspectives. The benefits of this type of partnership include providing students with enhanced educational experiences and positive student-mentor relationships, training STEM graduate students in effective teaching strategies, and providing teachers with a firsthand resource for scientific information and novel educational materials. Many high school students have had little exposure to science beyond the classroom. Frequent interactions with "real-life" scientists can help make science more approachable and is an effective strategy for promoting science as a career. Here I describe my experiences and several lessons designed as a NSK GK-12 fellow. For example, a month-long unit on biogeochemical principles was framed as a crime scene investigation of a fish kill event in Hood Canal, Washington, in which students were given additional pieces of evidence to solve the mystery as they satisfied checkpoints in their understanding of key concepts. The evidence pieces included scientific plots, maps, datasets, and laboratory exercises. A clear benefit of this investigation-style unit is that students were able to learn the material at their individual pace. This structure allowed for a streamlined integration of differentiated materials such as simplified background readings or visual learning aids for struggling students or more detailed news articles and primary literature for more advanced students. Although the NSF GK-12 program has been archived, educators and researchers should pursue new partnerships, leveraging local and state-level STEM outreach programs with the goal of increasing national exposure of the societal benefits of such synergistic activities.
K-12 Teacher Participation in Online Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, Catherine Louise

2010-01-01

Effectiveness in education is a national concern and reform efforts continue to be championed with the hope of stimulating improvement to more effectively meet the needs of all students. Many reform efforts include a focus on teacher professional development to strengthen teacher pedagogy and positively impact student achievement. Rapid expansion…
A Professional Learning Program Designed to Increase K-12 Teachers' Instructional Technology Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Lisa A.

2014-01-01

Despite the ready availability of many instructional-technology resources, many teachers in the researched Maryland school district are uncomfortable using technology to deliver content. This concurrent mixed methods case study examined the impact of Sharing Technology with Educators Program (STEP) on 269 K-12 teachers' technology use. The study…
Teaching Teachers: Assessing Students as Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russ, Rosemary S.; Conlin, Luke

2017-01-01

Most elementary science teachers would like to give their students opportunities to do science. The "Next Generation Science Standards" and "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NGSS Lead States 2013; NRC 2012) make this goal explicit by requiring that students learn how to engage in the practices of science. Consequently,…
Preparing university students to lead K-12 engineering outreach programmes: a design experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthony, Anika B.; Greene, Howard; Post, Paul E.; Parkhurst, Andrew; Zhan, Xi

2016-11-01

This paper describes an engineering outreach programme designed to increase the interest of under-represented youth in engineering and to disseminate pre-engineering design challenge materials to K-12 educators and volunteers. Given university students' critical role as facilitators of the outreach programme, researchers conducted a two-year design experiment to examine the programme's effectiveness at preparing university students to lead pre-engineering activities. Pre- and post-surveys incorporated items from the Student Engagement sub-scale of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale. Surveys were analysed using paired-samples t-test. Interview and open-ended survey data were analysed using discourse analysis and the constant comparative method. As a result of participation in the programme, university students reported a gain in efficacy to lead pre-engineering activities. The paper discusses programme features that supported efficacy gains and concludes with a set of design principles for developing learning environments that effectively prepare university students to facilitate pre-engineering outreach programmes.
#TwitterforTeachers: The Implications of Twitter as a Self-Directed Professional Development Tool for K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visser, Ryan D.; Evering, Lea Calvert; Barrett, David E.

2014-01-01

This mixed-methods study explores how K-12 teachers use Twitter. An online survey was disseminated via Twitter to gauge their usage of, access to, and perceptions of Twitter. The results indicated that teachers highly value Twitter as a means of self-directed professional development. Respondents who reported using Twitter multiple times a day…
Functional anatomy of the cardiovascular system: professional development for PreK-3 teachers using a "train and equip" method results in learning opportunities for students.

PubMed

Burns, E Robert

2008-01-01

Preadolescent students are interested in learning the structure and function of the human body. However, their teachers are not trained in this content. The purpose of this project was to expand a successful outreach effort in the health sciences for grade 7-12 teachers to include PreK-3 teachers. A "Healthy Hearts" workshop was offered to train the teachers in relevant content and also to give them a resource kit of supplies and equipment to facilitate the transference of the training into educational opportunities for their students. The workshop included many role-playing activities and use of all items in the resource kit. A total of 25 workshops were conducted in 14 different community locations with 716 PreK-3 teachers attending from 169 communities representing 59 (79%) of the state's 75 counties. African American (AA) teacher participation was 35%, twice the state AA population rate and 3.5x the AA public school teacher rate. Pre to Posttest scores increased an average of 15%. The results of the evaluation measures regarding the workshop and the transference of the training and use of resource kit items into learning opportunities for students were excellent. Universities have the capability, perhaps the responsibility, to provide the much-needed professional development training to PreK-12 teachers. Anatomists in medical and nonmedical school settings are well positioned to participate in this process and help close the gap between the interest young children have in learning about the human body and the lack of teacher training in this content. (c) 2008 American Association of Anatomists.
Teachers' Use of Wikipedia with Their Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meishar-Tal, Hagit

2015-01-01

One of the most impressive phenomena in the creation and dissemination of human knowledge in recent years is Wikipedia, an encyclopedia written collaboratively by Web users. Nevertheless, teachers tend to oppose the use of Wikipedia by their students and question its reliability. This paper explores the perceptions of k-12 school teachers in…
Teacher Perspectives of the Use of Student Performance Data in Teacher Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Paul Thomas

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how K-12 public school teachers perceive the use of student performance data in teacher evaluations. The proprietary, utility, feasibility, and accuracy standards created by the Joint Committee on Standards for Education Evaluation (JCSEE) served as a framework for the study. An online survey was deployed…
Technology and Teacher-Student Interactions: A Review of Empirical Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Ben

2018-01-01

As technology becomes ubiquitous in education, it is critical to understand the ways in which technology influences interactions between teachers and their students. The overarching research question that guided this systematic review was: What does research tell us about how technology influences interactions between teachers and students in K-12…
Science Communication versus Science Education: The Graduate Student Scientist as a K-12 Classroom Resource

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strauss, Jeff; Shope, Richard E., III; Terebey, Susan

2005-01-01

Science literacy is a major goal of science educational reform (NRC, 1996; AAAS, 1998; NCLB Act, 2001). Some believe that teaching science only requires pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Others believe doing science requires knowledge of the methodologies of scientific inquiry (NRC, 1996). With these two mindsets, the challenge for science educators is to create models that bring the two together. The common ground between those who teach science and those who do science is science communication, an interactive process that galvanizes dialogue among scientists, teachers, and learners in a rich ambience of mutual respect and a common, inclusive language of discourse . The dialogue between science and non-science is reflected in the polarization that separates those who do science and those who teach science, especially as it plays out everyday in the science classroom. You may be thinking, why is this important? It is vital because, although not all science learners become scientists, all K-12 students are expected to acquire science literacy, especially with the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Students are expected to acquire the ability to follow the discourse of science as well as connect the world of science to the context of their everyday life if they plan on moving to the next grade level, and in some states, to graduate from high school. This paper posits that science communication is highly effective in providing the missing link for K-12 students cognition in science and their attainment of science literacy. This paper will focus on the "Science For Our Schools" (SFOS) model implemented at California State Univetsity, Los Angeles (CSULA) as a project of the National Science Foundation s GK-12 program, (NSF 2001) which has been a huge success in bridging the gap between those who "know" science and those who "teach" science. The SFOS model makes clear the distinctions that identify science, science communication, science

THE HUMAN BEHAVIOR RATING SCALE-BRIEF: A TOOL TO MEASURE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS OF K-12 LEARNERS.

PubMed

Woods-Groves, Suzanne

2015-06-01

Currently there is a call for brief concise measurements to appraise relevant 21st century college readiness skills in K-12 learners. This study employed K-12 teachers' ratings for over 3,000 students for an existing 91-item rating scale, the Human Behavior Rating Scale, that measured the 21st century skills of persistence, curiosity, externalizing affect, internalizing affect, and cognition. Teachers' ratings for K-12 learners were used to develop a brief, concise, and manageable 30-item tool, the Human Behavior Rating Scale-Brief. Results yielded high internal consistency coefficients and inter-item correlations. The items were not biased with regard to student sex or race, and were supported through confirmatory factor analyses. In addition, when teachers' ratings were compared with students' academic and behavioral performance data, moderate to strong relationships were revealed. This study provided an essential first step in the development of a psychometrically sound, manageable, and brief tool to appraise 21st century skills in K-12 learners.
Pioneering the Digital Age of Instruction: Learning from and about K-12 Online Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archambault, Leanna; Larson, Jean

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to examine the needs of K-12 online teachers, including the dominant factors and career paths that influenced their decision to teach online; (2) to discover what online teachers viewed as the most important attributes an online teacher must have to be highly effective; and (3) to highlight the nature…
An Invaluable Resource for Supporting Transgender, Transsexual, and Gender-Nonconforming Students in School Communities: A Review of "Supporting Transgender and Transsexual Students in K-12 Schools"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martino, Wayne

2013-01-01

This essay provides a review of a resource guide written by Kristopher Wells, Gayle Roberts, and Carol Allan (2012) titled "Supporting Transgender and Transsexual Students in K-12 Schools: A Guide for Educators". The guide is an invaluable resource for educators in schools and teacher education programs.
Functional Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System: Professional Development for PreK-3 Teachers Using a "Train and Equip" Method Results in Learning Opportunities for Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, E. Robert

2008-01-01

Preadolescent students are interested in learning the structure and function of the human body. However, their teachers are not trained in this content. The purpose of this project was to expand a successful outreach effort in the health sciences for grade 7-12 teachers to include PreK-3 teachers. A "Healthy Hearts" workshop was offered to train…
Physical Education Teacher Educator's Perceptions toward and Understanding of K-12 Online Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daum, David N.; Woods, Amelia M.

2015-01-01

K-12 online physical education (OLPE) is as an educational opportunity in at least 30 states in the US (NASPE, 2006; 2010; 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine physical education teacher educators' perceptions toward and understanding of K-12 OLPE. Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (1986) served as the theoretical framework for this…
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Teacher, 2003

2003-01-01

Presents outstanding science trade books published in 2002 for students in grades K-12. Sections include Archaeology, Anthropology, and Paleontology; Biography; Environment and Ecology; Life Science; Physical Science; and Science-Related Careers. (KHR)
Teacher Directed Design: Content Knowledge, Pedagogy and Assessment under the Nevada K-12 Real-Time Seismic Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantrell, P.; Ewing-Taylor, J.; Crippen, K. J.; Smith, K. D.; Snelson, C. M.

2004-12-01

Education professionals and seismologists under the emerging SUN (Shaking Up Nevada) program are leveraging the existing infrastructure of the real-time Nevada K-12 Seismic Network to provide a unique inquiry based science experience for teachers. The concept and effort are driven by teacher needs and emphasize rigorous content knowledge acquisition coupled with the translation of that knowledge into an integrated seismology based earth sciences curriculum development process. We are developing a pedagogical framework, graduate level coursework, and materials to initiate the SUN model for teacher professional development in an effort to integrate the research benefits of real-time seismic data with science education needs in Nevada. A component of SUN is to evaluate teacher acquisition of qualified seismological and earth science information and pedagogy both in workshops and in the classroom and to assess the impact on student achievement. SUN's mission is to positively impact earth science education practices. With the upcoming EarthScope initiative, the program is timely and will incorporate EarthScope real-time seismic data (USArray) and educational materials in graduate course materials and teacher development programs. A number of schools in Nevada are contributing real-time data from both inexpensive and high-quality seismographs that are integrated with Nevada regional seismic network operations as well as the IRIS DMC. A powerful and unique component of the Nevada technology model is that schools can receive "stable" continuous live data feeds from 100's seismograph stations in Nevada, California and world (including live data from Earthworm systems and the IRIS DMC BUD - Buffer of Uniform Data). Students and teachers see their own networked seismograph station within a global context, as participants in regional and global monitoring. The robust real-time Internet communications protocols invoked in the Nevada network provide for local data acquisition
Using Virtual and In-Person Engagement Opportunities to Connect K-12 Students, Teachers, and the Public With NASA Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Assets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graff, P.; Foxworth, S.; Luckey, M. K.; McInturff, B.; Mosie, A.; Runco, S.; Todd, N.; Willis, K. J.; Zeigler, R.

2017-01-01

Engaging K-12 students, teachers, and the public with NASA Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) assets provides an extraordinary opportunity to connect audiences with authentic aspects unique to our nation's space program. NASA ARES has effectively engaged audiences with 1) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) experts, 2) NASA specialized facilities, and 3) NASA astromaterial samples through both virtual and in-person engagement opportunities. These engagement opportunities help connect local and national audiences with STEM role models, promote the exciting work being facilitated through NASA's Science Mission Directorate, and expose our next generation of scientific explorers to science they may be inspired to pursue as a future STEM career.
Impact of Mentoring on K-12 Beginning Teachers' Efficacy and Commitment: A Comparative Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mozdzanowski, Sandra Kay

2016-01-01

Despite a growing body of literature on the needs of beginning teachers, little is known about the impact of mentoring on K-12 beginning teachers' efficacy and commitment to teaching, and why beginning teachers in special education received less mentoring than their counterparts in general education. This qualitative phenomenological study…
Exploring Arizona K-12 Virtual Educator Experiences and Perspectives Developing Collaborative Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cross, Deborah Iyron

2015-01-01

Arizona Online Instruction (AOI) provided an instructional alternative to nearly fifty thousand K-12 students in Arizona during the 2012-2013 school year. Growth in online education underscores the importance of evolving the role of the K-12 virtual teacher as the human agent (Turvey, 2008) demonstrating social learning theory (Bandura, 1977) by…
A Survey of K-12 Teachers' Utilization of Social Networks as a Professional Resource

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Leah J.; Hall, Cristin M.

2018-01-01

Teachers are increasingly using social networks, including social media and other Internet applications, to look for educational resources. This study shares results from a survey examining patterns of social network application use among K-12 teachers in the United States. A sample of 154 teachers (18 males, 136 females) in the United States…
Science Curriculum Resource Handbook: A Practical Guide for K-12 Science Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Dennis W., Ed.; And Others

This handbook is one of a series of practical references for curriculum developers, education faculty, veteran teachers, and student teachers. The handbook is designed to provide basic information on the background of the science curriculum, and current information on publications, standards, and special materials for K-12 science. Part 1 contains…
Teachers' Perceptions of K-12 Online: Impacting the Design of a Graduate Course Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbour, Michael K.; Harrison, Kelly Unger

2016-01-01

While K-12 online learning in the United States has increased exponentially, the ability of teacher education programs to adequately prepare teachers to design, deliver, and support has been deficient. A small number of universities have begun to address this deficit through the introduction of graduate certificates in online teaching. This…
Web Connects K-12 Students with Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Sean

2009-01-01

This article reports that Derek Cummings and Justin Lessler, Johns Hopkins University epidemiologists, have come to the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) to give a live webinar on the spread of swine flu. This web-based audio and video presentation is one of many efforts by universities and science organizations to put K-12 students in…
The Next Generation Science Standards: An Historic Opportunity for K-12 Earth and Space Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, R. M.; Passow, M. J.; Holzer, M. A.; Moore, J.

2014-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) provide an historic opportunity to significantly improve Earth and space science (ESS) education nationally at the K-12 level. The increased emphasis on ESS related topics in the NGSS relative to previous standards provides a real opportunity for ensuring all K-12 students in adopting states learn about the ESS - allowing us to reach many more students than are currently are exposed to our discipline. The new standards are also exciting in that they explicitly couple science and engineering practice, cross-cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas in such a way that student must actively demonstrate their understanding through actions rather than through mere regurgitation of memorized responses. Achieving mastery of NGSS Performance Expectations will require practice with higher-order learning skills - with students engaging in the practices of scientists and engineers. Preparing students for this mastery will be a challenging task for teachers, since in many states professional development support is limited at best for the current curriculum - let alone the curricula that will be developed to address the NGSS. As adoption of the NGSS expands across the country, states will be at various levels of implementation of the new standards over the next several years - and there is real concern that teachers must have sufficient professional development to be able to be successful in preparing their students - particularly in view of likely coupled assessments and teacher evaluations. NESTA strongly supports implementation of the NGSS, and the rigorous and compelling ESS education it will engender, when coupled with a strong emphasis nationwide on teacher professional development. For the past two years, the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) has continued our leadership in K-12 ESS education through workshops, web seminars, events and publications that emphasize implementation of the NGSS in ESS
Unified Science Approach K-12, Proficiency Levels 1-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oickle, Eileen M., Ed.

Presented are first-revision materials of the K-12 unified science program implemented in the public schools of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Detailed descriptions are given of the roles of students and teachers, purposes of bibliography, major concepts in unified science, processes of inquiry, scheme and model for scientific literacy, and…
Interstellar Molecules in K-12 Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiper, T. B. H.; Hofstadter, M. D.; Levin, S. M.; MacLaren, D.

2006-12-01

The Lewis Center for Educational Research (LCER) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) collaborate in a K-12 educational project in which students conduct observations for several research programs led by radio astronomers. The Goldstone-Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) program provides participating teachers with curriculum elements, based on the students' observing experiences, which support national and state academic standards. The current program is based on 2.2-GHz and 8.4-GHz radiometric observations of variable sources. The research programs monitor Jupiter, Uranus, and a selected set of quasars. The telescope is a decommissioned NASA Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, California. In the next three years, a second telescope will be added. This telescope will at least operate at the above frequencies as well as 6 GHz and 12 GHz. Possibly, it will operate in a continuous band from 1.2 GHz to 14 GHz. In either case, the telescope will be able to observe at least the 6.6-GHz and 12.2-GHz methanol maser lines. The success of the GAVRT program depends critically on the participation of scientists committed to the research who have the ability and enthusiasm for interacting with K-12 students, typically through teleconferences. The scientists will initially work with the LCER staff to create curriculum elements around their observing program.
Student Perceptions of Teacher Characteristics on Math Achievement for Middle School African American Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Otis, Jr.

2013-01-01

This causal-comparative research explored how African American students' perceptions of their math teachers affected their academic performance on the Math Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Test during 2009-2010 academic year. When considering possible measures of teacher effectiveness in K-12 education, it can be argued that…
One Model for Scientist Involvement in K-12 Education: Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meese, D.; Shipp, S. S.; Porter, M.; Bruccoli, A.

2002-12-01

Scientists involved in the NSF-funded Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic (TEA) Program integrate a K-12 science teacher into their polar field project. Objectives of the program include: having the science teacher immersed in the experience of research; 2) through the teacher, leveraging the research experience to better inform teaching practices; and 3) sharing the experience with the broader educational and general community. The scientist - or qualified team member - stays involved with the teacher throughout the program as a mentor. Preparation of the teacher involves a week-long orientation presented by the TEA Program, and a two week pre-expedition visit at the scientist's institution. Orientation acquaints teachers with program expectations, logistical information, and an overview of polar science. While at the scientist's institution, the teacher meets the team, prepares for the field, and strengthens content knowledge. In the field, the teacher is a team member and educational liaison, responding to questions from students and colleagues by e-mail, and posting electronic journals describing the research experience. Upon return, the teachers work closely with colleagues to bring the experience of research into classrooms through creation of activities, design of longer-term student investigations, and presentations at scientific, educational, and community meetings. Interaction with the scientific team continues with a visit by the scientist to the teacher's classrooms, collaboration on presentations at scientific meetings, and consultation on classroom activities. In some cases, the teacher may participate in future expeditions. The involvement by scientists in mentor relationships, such as those of the TEA Program, is critical to improving science education. Many teachers of science have not had the opportunity to participate in field research, which offers valuable first-hand experience about the nature of science, as well as about specific
An Exploratory Study on K-12 Teachers' Use of Technology and Multimedia in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Carr, Marsha L.

2015-01-01

21st century has seen new technology and multimedia made available for integration in K-12 classrooms. This exploratory study examines K-12 teachers' use of technology and multimedia in the classroom in two southern counties in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of the study was to answer the following five research questions: 1) What…

Educational Technology Use among K-12 Teachers: What Technologies Are Available and What Barriers Are Present?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francom, Gregory M.

2016-01-01

In order to prepare teachers to integrate technology into teaching and learning activities, teacher educators and administrators need current information about the types of technologies available in classrooms. The current survey research study of K-12 public school teachers in a rural North Midwestern state provides updated information on…
K-12 Professional Development at the Harvard Forest LTER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, K.

2012-12-01

As part of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, the Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts seeks to train the next generation of researchers, by involving K-12 grade students and their teachers in hands-on, field-based, ecological research in their own schoolyard and community. Students learn to collect data on important long-term ecological issues and processes. Student data are then shared on the Harvard Forest website. To prepare teachers for project protocols, teachers are given direct access to Harvard ecologists with professional development workshops and on-line resources. With the Harvard Forest Schoolyard LTER program, students can participate in three different research projects focusing on phenology, invasive insects, and vernal pools. Teachers attend the Summer Institute for Teachers to learn project content and methods. They return in fall to participate in one of three levels of data workshops to learn how to input, manage, and analyze project data. In the spring, teachers again meet with the Harvard ecologists about project protocols, and to share, through a series of teacher presentations, the ways these project themes are being integrated into class curricula. These professional development opportunities result in long term collaborative partnerships with local schools and the Harvard Forest LTER. In addition to the LTER Schoolyard Ecology Program, the Harvard Forest has supported a successful Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program for the last six years. Throughout the summer, teachers work on research projects alongside Harvard Forest and affiliated scientists, post-docs, graduate students, and REU's (Research Experience for Undergraduates). The RET program provides teachers with the opportunity to build scientific knowledge, develop an understanding of research methods, and translate their new knowledge and experiences into cutting edge classroom lessons. The past two summers I have worked with Dr. Andrew Richardson
The No Waste Anthology: A Teacher's Guide to Environmental Activities K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Toxic Substance Control, Sacramento.

This book is designed to provide teachers with interdisciplinary, action oriented environmental activities for grades K-12 concerning the issue of waste. The activities are organized into three sections and several subsections. The first section contains 29 activities pertaining to natural resources and pollution in subsections involving needs and…
Starting a Community-Wide Internet Turnkey Training Program for K-12 Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Beth; Baron, Joshua

Based on the work of the New Jersey Networking Infrastructure in Education (NJNIE) project, it has been demonstrated that thoughtful integration into the curriculum of Internet-based resources has enormous potential to improve teaching and learning. "The Alliance for Training K-12 Teachers in Instructional Technologies: A National…
Exploring an Invisible Medium: Teacher Language Awareness among Preservice K12 Educators of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindahl, Kristen Marie

2013-01-01

This study investigates the construct of Teacher Language Awareness (TLA) in a group of preservice mainstream K-12 teachers who are developing skills to work with English Language Learners (ELLs) in United States (US) public school contexts. Specifically, the study seeks to explore how preservice teachers' participation in directed university…
Assessing the life science knowledge of students and teachers represented by the K-8 national science standards.

PubMed

Sadler, Philip M; Coyle, Harold; Smith, Nancy Cook; Miller, Jaimie; Mintzes, Joel; Tanner, Kimberly; Murray, John

2013-01-01

We report on the development of an item test bank and associated instruments based on the National Research Council (NRC) K-8 life sciences content standards. Utilizing hundreds of studies in the science education research literature on student misconceptions, we constructed 476 unique multiple-choice items that measure the degree to which test takers hold either a misconception or an accepted scientific view. Tested nationally with 30,594 students, following their study of life science, and their 353 teachers, these items reveal a range of interesting results, particularly student difficulties in mastering the NRC standards. Teachers also answered test items and demonstrated a high level of subject matter knowledge reflecting the standards of the grade level at which they teach, but exhibiting few misconceptions of their own. In addition, teachers predicted the difficulty of each item for their students and which of the wrong answers would be the most popular. Teachers were found to generally overestimate their own students' performance and to have a high level of awareness of the particular misconceptions that their students hold on the K-4 standards, but a low level of awareness of misconceptions related to the 5-8 standards.
Teachers, Researchers, and Students Collaborating in Arctic Climate Change Research: The Partnership Between the Svalbard REU and ARCUS PolarTREC programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roof, S.; Warburton, J.; Oddo, B.; Kane, M.

2007-12-01

Since 2004, the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) "TREC" program (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating, now "PolarTREC") has sent four K-12 teachers to Svalbard, Norway to work alongside researchers and undergraduate students conducting climate change research as part of the Svalbard Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program. The benefits of this scientist/educator/student partnership are many. Researchers benefit from teacher participation as it increases their understanding of student learning and the roles and responsibilities of K-12 teachers. The TREC teacher contributes to the research by making observations, analyzing data, and carrying heavy loads of equipment. In collaborating with K- 12 teachers, undergraduate student participants discover the importance of teamwork in science and the need for effective communication of scientific results to a broad audience. The questions that K-12 teachers ask require the scientists and students in our program to explain their work in terms that non-specialists can understand and appreciate. The K-12 teacher provides a positive career role model and several Svalbard REU undergraduate students have pursued K-12 teaching careers after graduating. TREC teachers benefit from working alongside the researchers and by experiencing the adventures of real scientific research in a remote arctic environment. They return to their schools with a heightened status that allows them to share the excitement and importance of scientific research with their students. Together, all parties contribute to greatly enhance public outreach. With ARCUS logistical support, TREC teachers and researchers do live web conferences from the field, reaching hundreds of students and dozens of school administrators and even local politicians. Teachers maintain web journals, describing the daily activities and progress of the researcher team. Online readers from around the world write in to ask questions, which the
The Role of Electronic Portfolios in the Hiring of K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strawhecker, Jane; Messersmith, Ken; Balcom, Amanda

2008-01-01

This mixed-method study explored the perspectives of principals involved in the hiring process of K-12 teachers in one Midwestern state. Participants' survey data was used to examine the pros and cons of portfolios, to determine preferences in portfolio contents and electronic delivery method, and to investigate what predictors significantly…
The Relationship between Teacher Training, Intervention Strategies, and Students' Academic Achievement in the Classroom with K-5 ADHD Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Nancy A.

2014-01-01

The primary intent of this study was to explore the effect between teachers' training, intervention strategies, and the academic achievement of K-5 ADHD students. The study design employed a mixed research design. The quantitative method focused on collecting data from certified regular and special-education teachers. Additionally, effects were…
Zero Energy Schools: Designing for the Future: Zero Energy Ready K-12 Schools

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

Torcellini, Paul A

Designing, building, and operating zero energy ready K-12 schools provides benefits for districts, students, and teachers. Optimizing energy efficiency is important in any building, but it's particularly important in K-12 schools. Many U.S. school districts struggle for funding, and improving a school building's energy efficiency can free up operational funds that may then be available for educational and other purposes.
Examining Student-Adult Relationships during K-12 School Age Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lappi, Shelly J.

2012-01-01

This study examined the relationship between dependent and independent variables and the effects relationships have on K-12 students as they struggle through life stressors. Thus, the research study was based upon this over arching question: How does having positive student-adult relationships impact a student's ability to cope with life…
Forest Watch: a K-12 Outreach Program to Engage Young Students in Authentic, Hands-On Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, B. N.; Gagnon, M.

2008-12-01

The Forest Watch Program is a K-12 science outreach program developed at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in 1991. The program engages pre-college teachers and their students in assisting researchers at UNH in the assessment of the state-of-health of white pine (Pinus strobus), a known bio- indicator species for exposure to elevated levels of ground-level ozone. Students participate in three types of activities: 1. selection, collection, and analysis of needle samples from five permanently tagged white pine trees near their school; 2. Study of needles in their classroom and sending a set of needles to UNH for spectral analysis; and 3. analysis of remote sensing data (Landsat TM) provided of their local area using freeware software (MultiSpec). Student-derived foliar symptomology, needle length, needle retention, and tree biometrics, plus the spectral indices, allow UNH researchers to characterize annual variations in tree state-of-health, and to correlate that state-of-health with annual summer ozone levels collected by the EPA and state environmental monitoring networks. The results suggest that regional air quality and state- of-health of trees has improved since 1991. Annual student data and the yearly spectral variations, for the same trees, suggest that white pine health has improved dramatically since 1997/8. This improvement in tree health corresponds with improved regional air quality. An evaluation of student data reliability has been conducted and suggests that the DBH measurements are a most reliable indicator of tree growth. Student data are more reliable if multiple sets of measurements are made and averaged together, compared with single sets of measurements. Based on both student data and spectral analysis of student-provided branch samples, the greatest damage (chlorosis) occurs in trees located along the seacoast areas. Participation in Forest Watch introduces students to the scientific method via an authentic research program. The program is
Ground Truth Studies - A hands-on environmental science program for students, grades K-12

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katzenberger, John; Chappell, Charles R.

1992-01-01

The paper discusses the background and the objectives of the Ground Truth Studies (GTSs), an activity-based teaching program which integrates local environmental studies with global change topics, utilizing remotely sensed earth imagery. Special attention is given to the five key concepts around which the GTS programs are organized, the pilot program, the initial pilot study evaluation, and the GTS Handbook. The GTS Handbook contains a primer on global change and remote sensing, aerial and satellite images, student activities, glossary, and an appendix of reference material. Also described is a K-12 teacher training model. International participation in the program is to be initiated during the 1992-1993 school year.
A Study of the Barriers K-12 Teachers Encounter when Integrating Technology into the Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown-Joseph, Theresa Denise

2010-01-01

This study utilized an outlined plan for a qualitative case study to explore the perceived barriers that teachers in K-12 grades encounter when integrating technology into the curriculum. A purposive sample of 20 teachers from both elementary and high schools provided information during structured interviews about their experiences with…
The SERC K12 Educators Portal to Teaching Activities and Pedagogic Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, K.; Kirk, K. B.; Manduca, C. A.; Ledley, T. S.; Schmitt, L.

2013-12-01

activities and approaches that use maps as the basis of instruction for a wide range of topics commonly taught in K12 science courses such as natural hazards, urban development, plate tectonics, climate change, ocean science, and water resources; and (2) Providing easy access to a vast collection of materials specifically for teachers of AP and IB classes including collections of teaching activities for all science disciplines as well as pedagogic approaches that are appropriate for the lab-intensive nature of these classes. The contents of the K12 portal are drawn from a number of projects and collaborations, including CLEAN, Earth Exploration Toolbook, Minnesota Science Teachers Education Project, Pedagogy in Action, EarthLabs, NAGT and On the Cutting Edge. Teachers can add their own materials to the site by sharing lessons plans, activities, and labs. K12 educators of all levels will find a wide variety of resources to spark the curiosity and interest of students. Explore the SERC K12 Educators Portal at: http://serc.carleton.edu/k12/index.html
Leading the Way: Students of Teacher Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warburton, J.; Larson, A.; Fahnestock, J.

2017-12-01

Over the past decade, the PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) program, administered by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS), has provided over 150 U.S. K-12 teachers the opportunity to work directly with scientists in the polar regions. As a Teacher Research Experiences (TRE), it has provided teachers with a unique professional development opportunity to increase their teacher content knowledge. From recent program evaluation data, there has been a statistically significant improvement in the teacher's self-assessed ability and confidence to increase a variety of scientific processes in their lessons. This is important, as a growing emphasis is in Next Generation Science Standards is not only increasing student achievement in science but the practice of science. In PolarTREC, we have witnessed numerous examples where the increased STEM content knowledge of the teachers has transferred to their students of teachers with more student initiated and student driven research projects. In this presentation, we will share examples of this success and showcase several student-led research projects that have not only demonstrated the practice of science but have also contributed to polar research.
How Student Teachers Describe the Online Collaborative Learning Experience and Evaluate Its Contribution to Their Learning and Their Future Work as Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margaliot, Adva; Gorev, Dvora; Vaisman, Tami

2018-01-01

This study examined student teachers' attitudes toward online collaborative learning (OCL) as related to their satisfaction, learning experience, contribution to personal knowledge, and future teaching. One hundred and four students participated in a program that retrains university graduates to become K-12 teachers. The study combines both…
Few and Far Between: Describing K-12 Online Teachers' Online Professional Development Opportunities for Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Mary F.

2017-01-01

Online teacher professional development (oTPD) researchers have been concerned with design features, teacher change in practice, and student learning, as well as establishing guidelines for directing funding support. Even so, previous work suggests that high-quality instructional support for all students with disabilities is still on the horizon.…
Value Added Models and the Implementation of the National Standards of K-12 Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seymour, Clancy M.; Garrison, Mark J.

2017-01-01

The implementation of value-added models of teacher evaluation continue to expand in public education, but the effects of using student test scores to evaluate K-12 physical educators necessitates further discussion. Using the five National Standards for K-12 Physical Education from the Society of Health and Physical Educators America (SHAPE),…
Training for Online Teachers to Support Student Success: Themes from a Survey Administered to Teachers in Four Online Learning Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zweig, Jacqueline S.; Stafford, Erin T.

2016-01-01

In addition to teaching the subject matter, online teachers are tasked with supporting students' understanding of the online environment as well as students' progress, engagement, and interactions within the course. Yet only four states and the District of Columbia require teachers to receive training in online instruction prior to teaching a K-12…

The Effect of Professional Development on Teacher Attitudes toward Online Learning in K-12 Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savakinas, Christy A.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how teacher attitudes toward online learning in K-12 education vary before, during, and after participation in a professional development program focused on ePedagogy and online course development. The study also examined which Key Design Factors, as identified by Wells (2007), influence teachers'…
The Engaged Microbiologist: Bringing the Microbiological Sciences to the K-12 Community.

PubMed

Westenberg, David J

2016-03-01

Exposing K-12 students to cutting edge science that impacts their daily lives can bring classroom lessons to life. Citizen-science projects are an excellent way to bring high-level science to the classroom and help satisfy one of the cornerstone concepts of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), "engaging in practices that scientists and engineers actually use." This can be a daunting task for teachers who may lack the background or resources to integrate these projects into the classroom. This is where scientific societies such as the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) can play a critical role. ASM encourages its members to engage with the K-12 community by providing networking opportunities and resources for ASM members and K-12 teachers to work together to bring microbiology into the classroom. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education.
Identifying and Reconstructing Common Cold Misconceptions among Developing K-12 Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Marcus Lee; Bungum, Timothy

2013-01-01

Background: Common cold misconceptions may contribute to ill-informed decisions and recommendations made by K-12 educators who often encounter infected students. Understanding the structure of educators' misconceptions can be used to improve health instruction in teacher professional preparation programs. Purpose: The purposes of this project were…
Research-infused K-12 Science at the "Uttermost Part of the Earth:" An NSF GK-12 Fellow's Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, E.; Ellins, K.; Ormiston, C.; Dovzak, N.; Anderson, S.; Tingle, D.; Knettel, P.; Redding, S.; Odle, K.; Dalziel, I.

2005-12-01

In March 2005, four students and three teachers from Boerne High School in Texas accompanied UTIG GK-12 Co-PIs Katherine Ellins and Ian Dalziel, and NSF GK-12 Fellow Ethan Perry to Tierra del Fuego to join an international team of scientists studying the climate-tectonic history recorded in Lago Fagnano, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. For two weeks, students and teachers engaged in authentic scientific research that included geologic field mapping and reconnaissance, and student/teacher developed water and soils sampling routines. The Lago Fagnano experience enabled: (1) the Boerne High School group to be integrated into an active field research program and to bring tangible experiences, knowledge and high-quality data back to the classroom; (2) participating research scientists to convey the importance of their science to a wider audience; and (3) the NSF GK-12 Fellow to gain valuable experience in communicating the essential scientific knowledge and field skills to high school participants before field deployment. The GK-12 Fellow's bridging role through the course of the project enhanced his scientific understanding of the climate-tectonic setting of Tierra del Fuego, fostered the development of new professional contacts with research scientists and led to a fresh perspective on how research science can be integrated in high school science curriculum. The GK-12 Fellow served as the primary mentor to the K-12 participants and the liaison between UTIG research scientists and the Boerne High School group. The Fellow helped prepare the Boerne group for the field research experience and to design a research project using water and soil analyses to assess chemical and isotopic trends within the lake's watershed. Preparatory activities began three months prior to field deployment and included workshops, classroom visits and teleconferences aimed at teaching field skills (reading and creating geologic maps, compass measurements, GPS, field notebooks) and increasing
Are Teacher and Principal Candidates Prepared to Address Student Cyberbullying?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Styron, Ronald A., Jr.; Bonner, Jessica L.; Styron, Jennifer L.; Bridgeforth, James; Martin, Cecelia

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the preparation of teacher and principal candidates to address problems created in K-12 settings as a result of cyberbullying. Participants included teacher and principal preparation students. Findings indicated that respondents were familiar with the most common forms of cyberbullying and its impact on…
Good Morning from Barrow, Alaska! Helping K-12 students understand the importance of research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelton, M.

2010-12-01

This presentation focuses on how an educator experiences scientific research and how those experiences can help foster K-12 students’ understanding of research being conducted in Barrow, Alaska. According to Zhang and Fulford (1994), real-time electronic field trips help to provide a sense of closeness and relevance. In combination with experts in the field, the electronic experience can help students to better understand the phenomenon being studied, thus strengthening the student’s conceptual knowledge (Zhang & Fulford, 1994). During a seven day research trip to study the arctic sea ice, five rural Virginia teachers and their students participated in Skype sessions with the participating educator and other members of the Radford University research team. The students were able to view the current conditions in Barrow, listen to members of the research team describe what their contributions were to the research, and ask questions about the research and Alaska in general. Collaborations between students and scientist can have long lasting benefits for both educators and students in promoting an understanding of the research process and understanding why our world is changing. By using multimedia venues such as Skype students are able to interact with researchers both visually and verbally, forming the basis for students’ interest in science. A learner’s level of engagement is affected by the use of multimedia, especially the level of cognitive processing. Visual images alone do no promote the development of good problem solving skills. However, the students are able to develop better problem solving skills when both visual images and verbal interactions are used together. As students form higher confidence levels by improving their ability to problem solve, their interest in science also increases. It is possible that this interest could turn into a passion for science, which could result in more students wanting to become scientists or science teachers.
Alabama Course of Study: Humanities, K-12. Bulletin 1983, No. 16.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alabama State Dept. of Education, Montgomery.

A scope and sequence for incorporating humanities into the existing K-12 curriculum contains 8 sections. Following an introduction, the first section outlines characteristics of an effective humanities program. The second and third sections contain teacher and student objectives for a humanities program, minimum requirements, and alternatives for…
The Aloha Telescope for K-12 STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sowell, James R.

2015-01-01

How does one bring night-time astronomical observations into the classroom? How does a teacher - during the school day - show students the craters on the Moon, the rings of Saturn, or the four Galilean moons of Jupiter? One of the greatest drawbacks to teaching Astronomy is the lack of real-time telescopic observations during the school day, and yet this is a very exciting time for astronomical discoveries. The solution is to access a telescope in a substantially different time zone where it is still night. This facility - the Aloha Telescope - on Maui has already been established by a partnership between Georgia Tech and the Air Force Research Lab. This robotic telescope's sole purpose is for K-12 education, as it is equipped with a video-camera and is operated remotely via high-speed internet connections. This facility and its outreach program allow east-coast teachers and, in turn, students to have local daytime access to - and direct control of - the telescope. When observing the Moon, teachers and students will move the telescope wherever they wish across the highly-magnified lunar surface (~ 5 arcminute FOV). This telescope will enable night-time astronomical observations to come alive as day-time activities and will be an important tool for STEM education and activities. The use of the Aloha Telescope requires minimal training and is free after registering for a date and time.Dr. Sowell has written specific telescopic exercises and surface feature tours appropriate for K-12 and college-level users. These exercises, and other aspects of the Aloha Telescope and program, are posted on the website at http://aloha.gatech.edu
An Investigation of Student Engagement in a Global Warming Debate: Proof of Concept for K-12 Outreach at UCSB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweizer, D. M.; Kelly, G. J.; Gautier, C.

2001-05-01

As part of a community outreach program, the first author worked with a physical science teacher to co-create and co-teach a nine week global warming for his three seventh grade classes. The nine week program culminated in a debate on the causes of global warming. Students were divided into three groups: scientists supporting human contributions to global warming; scientists opposed to human contributions to global warming; and leaders of nations. In this study we investigate how using debate as a pedagogical tool for addressing earth system science concepts can both promote active student learning and present a realistic and dynamic view of science. Grounded in the perspective of science as sociocultural practices, our investigation draws from studies of school science focusing on the socially constructed nature of knowing and the use of argument as a pedagogical tool. We present evidence illustrating how the use of argument provided opportunities for students to interpret data sets, formulate and defend arguments, challenge competing interpretations and unearth relevant scientific questions about the environment. We also provide evidence of how students were able to use scientific evidence to support their thought processes. The results of this outreach experience serve as a foundation for the development of a new K-12 outreach program, Earth Connection, scheduled to begin at the University of California Santa Barbara, in Summer, 2001. Through the Earth Connection Visiting Teacher Program, UCSB science educators will visit local schools to work directly with teachers in their classroom settings. The Visiting Teacher Program provides a mutual benefit to teachers and students. Students gain the experience of having an expert come into their classroom to involve them in the process of science. Teachers are provided with professional development opportunities to help them continue addressing relevant earth system science issues in their classrooms.
Increasing Diversity in K-12 School Leadership. Policy Brief 2018-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro, Andrene; Germain, Emily; Gooden, Mark

2018-01-01

Principals represent the most "visible" form of leadership in schools, but current workforce data show that K-12 school principals are overwhelmingly white and fail to reflect the diversity within the student population. With increased policy focus on teacher diversity, equal attention must also be directed towards the lack of diversity…
Distance education: Physics through the University of South Carolina for pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safko, John L.; Edge, Ronald D.

1997-03-01

For the past several years (10 years for JLS, 3 years for RDE) we have been offering telecommunications-based distance education for K-12 teachers through our Office of Distance Education. In addition to practicing teachers and those majoring in science education, we also enroll students who are working on their Master's of Art in Teaching. These latter students often have an undergraduate degree in some science and are completing content and methods courses for state certification as a teacher. These courses are delivered by video cassette and written material. The courses offered are a two semester introductory physics course (by JLS) and a one semester course in physics demonstrations and experiments suitable for the elementary/middle/high school with little or no sources of equipment (by RDE). These courses will be described in the next two sections. First, a few comments on the services provided by the Office of Distance Education and Instructional Services. The University of South Carolina has been offering courses by telecommunications instruction since 1972. During that time it has developed excellent support services for the instructor. Currently the university offers courses live over satellite links and by video cassette to over 10,000 students. The office provides recording capabilities as well as taking care of distribution of video and print materials. They coordinate the receipt and return of any assignments and exams and provide student services for questions about enrollment, supplies, and other technical problems versus content questions. Keeping all of this organized is a full time job for many staff.
Partners in Earth System Science: a Field, Laboratory and Classroom Based Professional Development Program for K-12 Teachers Designed to Build Scientific and Pedagogical Understandings of Teaching Climate Change.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slattery, W.; Lunsford, S.; Diedrick, A.; Crane, C.

2015-12-01

The purpose of the Partners in Earth System Science summer and academic year professional development program for Ohio K-12 teachers is to build their understandings of the scientific observations, methods and resources that scientists use when studying past and present climate change. Participants then use these tools to develop inquiry-based activities to teach their K-12 students how the scientific method and data are used to understand the effects of global climate change. The summer portion of the program takes teachers from throughout Ohio to the Duke University Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, North Carolina. There they engage in a physical and biological exploration of the modern and ancient ocean. For example, they collect samples of sediment and test water samples collected from modern coastal environments and connect their findings with evidence of the fauna living in those environments. Then, using observations from the geological record of the Eocene through Pleistocene sediments exposed in eastern North Carolina and inferences from observations made from the modern ocean they seek to answer scientifically testable questions regarding the physical and biological characteristics of the ocean during Cenozoic climate change events. During the academic year participants connect with each other and project faculty online to support the development of inquiry based science activities for their K-12 students. These activities focus on how evidence and observations such as outcrop extent, sediment type and biological assemblages can be used to infer past climates. The activities are taught in participant's classrooms and discussed with other participants in an online discussion space. Assessment of both teachers and K-12 students document significant positive changes in science knowledge, their confidence in being able to do science and a clearer understanding of how oceans are impacted by global climate change.
Teachers' Perspectives of Students with ADHD in Korea and the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moon, SeokYoung

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perspectives of working with students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with two hundred twenty-eight K-12th grade teachers in Korea and the U.S. by using a concept mapping methodology. The four research questions were: (1) How do teachers in two different cultures (Korea and…
Handbook for Safety Education. A Teacher's Handbook for Safety Education Grades K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Scott V.; And Others

This handbook is designed to assist classroom teachers and administrators in organizing, planning, and implementing a comprehensive safety program K-12 at the local school or district level. The handbook is organized in three sections. The first section contains 28 units for the elementary level that cover the following topics: first aid training;…
Comparing Cross-Cultural Multicultural Self-Awareness among K-12 In-Service School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koyama, Chieko; Plash, Shawn; Davis, Kirk

2012-01-01

The present study explored multicultural self-awareness among 134 K-12 in-service school teachers using the Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory (CDAI). The results were compared to Yeung's (2006), allowing for a comparison between Eastern and Western cultures. A composite score was generated for each of the five areas measured by the CDAI. A…
K-12 Education and the Internet: A Technical Report Prepared for Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Proctor, L. F.; Allen, A. J.

This report examines the context and impact on the classroom of teacher and student access to the Internet in K-12 education in Saskatchewan (Canada) public schools. It begins with a description of the Internet, including funding and connectivity concerns. The following four basic services of the Internet are introduced with examples of K-12…
Immigration and Education: What Should K-12 Teachers, School Administrators, and Staff Know?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubinstein-Avila, Eliane

2017-01-01

We are currently living in an era of mass global migration. Therefore, it is a pertinent time to reflect on the challenges and the possibilities inherent in educating immigrant and refugee children. Because of the importance immigration has played in the history of the United States, it may be assumed that American K-12 teachers and school…
Water Foundations Teachers Guide. The Science of Florida's Water Resources: Lesson Plans for Teachers and Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2001

This document features lesson plans for teachers and students on Florida's water resources. The guide is divided into four grade levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Each grade level includes objectives, guides, and five lesson plans. K-2 lesson plans include: (1) "We Are Water"; (2) "Why Water is Extra Special"; (3) "Water's…
3-D Teaching of Climate Change: An innovative professional learning model for K-12 teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stapleton, M.; Wolfson, J.; Sezen-Barrie, A.

2017-12-01

In spite of the presumed controversy over the evidence for climate change, the recently released Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for K-12 include a focus on climate literacy and explicitly use the term `climate change.' In addition to the increased focus on climate change, the NGSS are also built upon a new three dimensional framework for teaching and learning science. Three dimensional learning has students engaging in scientific and engineering practices (Dimension 1), while using crosscutting concepts (Dimension 2) to explore and explain natural phenomena using disciplinary core ideas (Dimension 3). The adoption of these new standards in many states across the nation has created a critical need for on-going professional learning as in-service science educators begin to implement both climate change instruction and three dimensional teaching and learning in their classrooms. In response to this need, we developed an innovative professional learning model for preparing teachers to effectively integrate climate change into their new curriculum and engage students in three dimensional learning. Our professional learning model utilized ideas that have emerged from recent science education research and include: a) formative assessment probes for three dimensional learning that monitor students' progress; b) collaboration with scientists with expertise in climate science to understand the domain specific ways of doing science; and c) development of a community of practice for in-service teachers to provide feedback to each other on their implementation. In this poster presentation, we will provide details on the development of this professional learning model and discuss the affordances and challenges of implementing this type of professional learning experience.
Providing Affordable, Community-Based Tutorial Services for K-8 Students Utilizing Master Teachers as Mentors to Preservice Education Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Mary Kathryn

The preservice teacher education practicum described in this practicum paper sought to provide affordable, convenient reading tutorial services for K-8 children. Participants were mentor teachers, preservice teachers, and students from the community. A twilight school was established that provided professional development opportunites for teachers…

Mentoring Student Teachers: Collaboration with Physical Education Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballinger, Debra A.; Bishop, Jan G.

2011-01-01

There is a special relationship between a student teacher, the PK-12 teacher who serves as mentor, and the university/college supervisor. These three individuals, often called the triad, work together to transition the student from pre-service teacher to professional educator. This article focuses on the roles of mentor teachers and…
Coping with Mandated Restrictions on Intellectual Freedom in K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Sara

2008-01-01

Access to information is an essential art of the educational system. The reality is, however, that there are laws and policies in effect that can restrict what information is available to students and teachers in K-12 schools. Selection policies, Acceptable Use Policies, Circulation Policies, as well as federal laws and acts, all place…
Infusing Multicultural Education into the Curriculum: Preparing Pre-Service Teachers to Address Homophobia in K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Joseph R.

2015-01-01

This article discusses the role multicultural education can play in addressing homophobia in K-12 schools. The author explores the lack of multiculturalism courses in undergraduate teacher education programs. To address the lack of multiculturalism courses, three instructional activities are offered that faculty in teacher education programs can…
Introducing Engineering in Elementary Education: A 5-Year Study of Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diefes-Dux, Heidi A.

2015-01-01

Engineering, when integrated into K-12 education, may offer a number of potential student learning and future success benefits. In a 5-year study, four cohorts of elementary teachers of grades 2 to 4 in a single US school district were provided with teacher professional development with engineering education. Teachers were prepared to teach…
Advancing climate literacy in Idaho K-12 schools using STEM education approaches, open source electronics, and Maker culture as vehicles for teacher training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, A. N.; Gelb, L.; Watson, K. A.; Steimke, A.; Chang, C.; Busche, C.; Breidenbach, J.

2016-12-01

A climate literate citizenry is essential to the long-term success of climate change adaptation and to enhancing resilience of communities to climate change impacts. In support of a National Science Foundation CAREER award, we developed a teacher training workshop on a project that engages students in creating functioning, low-cost weather stations using open source electronics. The workshop aims to improve climate literacy among K-12 students while providing an authentic opportunity to acquire and hone STEM skills. Each station measures temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, light level, soil moisture, and precipitation occurrence. Our day-long workshop focuses on three elements: (1) providing context on the scientific importance of climate observation, (2) equipping teachers with technical skills needed to assemble and use a station from provided components, and (3) highlighting relevant educational standards met by the weather station activities. The workshop was attended by twelve 4th-9th grade teachers from southwest Idaho, all of whom teach at rural and/or Title I schools. Attendees reported having minimal or no previous experience with open source electronics, but all were able to effectively use their weather station with less than two hours of hands-on training. In written and oral post-workshop reflections teachers expressed a strong desire to integrate these activities into classrooms, but also revealed barriers associated with rigid curricular constraints and risk-averse administrators. Continued evolution of the workshop will focus on: (1) extending the duration and exploratory depth of the workshop, (2) refining pre- and post-assessments and performing longitudinal monitoring of teacher participants to measure short- and long-term efficacy of the workshop, and (3) partnering with colleagues to engage school district administrators in dialog on how to integrate authentic activities like this one into K-12 curriculum.
Practical Application of Research in Science Education (PARSE) -- A New Collaboration for K-12 Science Teacher Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwicker, Andrew; Lopez, Jose; Clayton, James

2008-11-01

A new collaboration between PPPL, St. Peter's College, the Liberty Science Center, and the Jersey City Public School District was formed in order to create a unique K-12 teacher professional development program. St. Peter's College, located in Jersey City, NJ, is a liberal arts college in an urban setting. The Liberty Science Center (LSC) is the largest education resource in the New Jersey-New York City region. The Jersey City School District has 28,000 students of which approximately 90% are from populations traditionally under-represented in science. The new program is centered upon topics surrounding energy and the environment. In the first year, beginning in 2009, 15-20 teachers will participate in a pilot course that includes hands-on research at PPPL and St. Peter's, the creation of new curricular materials, and pedagogical techniques. Scientists, master teachers, and education professors will teach the course. In subsequent years, the number of participants will be significantly expanded and the curricular material disseminated to other school districts. In addition, an outside evaluator will measure the educational outcome throughout the project.
An Evaluation of the Conditions, Processes, and Consequences of Laptop Computing in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanaugh, Cathy; Dawson, Kara; Ritzhaupt, Albert

2011-01-01

This article examines how laptop computing technology, teacher professional development, and systematic support resulted in changed teaching practices and increased student achievement in 47 K-12 schools in 11 Florida school districts. The overview of a large-scale study documents the type and magnitude of change in student-centered teaching,…
A Study of K-12 Teacher Interns' Incorporation of Multicultural Content and Theory into Their Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dzoole, Edith Mechelle

2012-01-01

This research study examined 394 K-12 teacher interns' incorporation of multicultural content and theory into their teaching practices during a 16-week internship in schools, mostly located within a 30-mile radius of Mississippi State University. The teacher interns had completed all coursework and practicum hours required by their teacher…
Let's Recycle! Lesson Plans for Grades K-6 and 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Solid Waste Management Office.

The purpose of this guide is to inform students of solid waste problems and disposal options. Lesson plans deal specifically with waste and recycling and include interdisciplinary approaches to these problems. The manual is divided in two sections - K-6 and 7-12. Activities are designed to allow the teacher maximum flexibility, and plans may be…
Teacher and Student Perspectives on Facilitating a Sense of Community through an Online High School's "Shepherding" Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drysdale, Jeffery; Graham, Charles; Borup, Jered

2016-01-01

Student disconnectedness remains a serious concern in K-12 online learning--especially in programs where students take most or all of their coursework online. In this research we examined a "shepherding program" designed to encourage a sense of community among teachers and students at an online charter school. Every online teacher served…
Making the Economic Concept of Scarcity Oh-so-Sweet: An Activity for the K-12 Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Melanie; Davis, Cheryl

2006-01-01

The authors outline an innovative activity that helps teachers make the abstract concepts of scarcity and allocation concrete in the K-12 classroom. Students evaluate the scarcity of chocolate and often determine, incorrectly, that the candy is not scarce because there is enough for each student to have one piece. After students reveal their…
In Search of Solutions to the Obesity Epidemic: K-12 Physical Education Teachers' Ratings of Their Knowledge, Skills, Preparation, Attitudes, Barriers, and Efforts to Address the Obesity Epidemic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Kristie

2013-01-01

The New York State Physical Education Learning Standards for K-12 students were transformed into a survey administered to a sample of teachers of physical education (N = 261), ascertaining their ratings of their knowledge, ability/skill, education/training, and attitudes on the importance of future professionals receiving training to teach…
Receptivity to Telecommunications among K-12 Teachers in a Rural State: Results of a West Virginia Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howley, Aimee A.; Howley, Craig B.

Distance education is a way to provide needed instructional resources to rural schools, and the Internet and other telecommunications networks are the newest addition to the distance education toolkit. However, little is known about rural teachers' technological skills and attitudes in this area. A mail survey of 262 K-12 teachers in West…
AquaSMART: Water & Boating Safety, Grades K-2. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Dept. of Parks and Wildlife, Austin.

This teacher's guide accompanies a program designed to teach water and boating safety to students in grades K-2. The written curriculum accompanies a video, AquaSMART K-2. The theme of the curriculum is AquaSMART. To become AquaSMART, students must learn 10 basic lessons for water and boating safety. The teacher's guide begins with an overview of…
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Factors that Influence the Retention, Turnover, and Attrition of K-12 Music Teachers in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Robert D.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to construct a profile of K-12 music teachers in the United States and develop a model to predict their retention, turnover, and attrition. Responses to the "Schools and Staffing Survey" from 47,857 K-12 public and private school teachers, including 1,903 music teachers, were analyzed using comparative…
Unified Science Approach K-12, Proficiency Levels 13-21 and Semester Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oickle, Eileen M., Ed.

Presented is the third part of the K-12 unified science materials used in the public schools of Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Detailed descriptions are presented for the roles of students and teachers, purposes of bibliography, major concepts in unified science, processes of inquiry, scheme and model for scientific literacy, and program…
Ensuring Teacher Education Program Success through Formative Assessments: An Overview of the Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Jennie F.; Mollica, Jamie; Windjue, Sara

2013-01-01

The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) is a statewide education program located in the Midwest of the United States. The goal of the program is to leverage teacher education to improve and increase energy literacy in Wisconsin's K-12 schools as a means of contributing to statewide energy savings. Created in 1995, the program continues…
Unsatisfactory Performance: How California's K-12 Education System Protects Mediocrity and How Teacher Quality Can Be Improved.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Thomas C.; Billingsley, K. Lloyd

This study examines the quality of California's K-12 education, discussing how the system protects mediocrity and how to improve educational quality in the state. It explains that what most ails the teaching force is that excellent teachers are not rewarded for superior work, and failing teachers are rarely held accountable for poor performance.…
Teacher Expectations of Students' Classroom Behavior: Do Expectations Vary as a Function of School Risk?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Pierson, Melinda R.; Stang, Kristin K.; Carter, Erik W.

2010-01-01

Understanding the social behaviors teachers believe is critical for school success and can contribute to the development of effective behavioral supports and assist teachers in better preparing students for successful school transitions across the K-12 grade span. We explored 1303 elementary, middle, and high school teachers' expectations of…
The Effects of the Layoff Process on K-12 Teachers: How Do Multiple Years of Layoff Notices Affect Teacher Attitude, Persistence, and Practice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendoza, Cara Ann

2013-01-01

This qualitative study examines the effects of multiple years of layoff notices on first- or second-year, K-12 teachers employed in a Northern California, suburban school district in 2008-2009. During years of budget crisis in California, teachers new to the profession experienced ongoing employment uncertainty. This study endeavored to understand…

Framing K-12 partnerships in order to make a difference.

PubMed

Hamos, James E

2006-06-01

The Health Professions Partnership Initiative (HPPI) furthered the establishment of partnerships between academic health centers and K-12 school systems. The present article contends that partnerships in efforts such as the HPPI exist in varying degrees of depth with deeper partnerships being those based in a concept of mutuality even as partners continue to maintain institutional identity. In the context of K-12 schools, the article reinforces the view that K-12 students, teachers, and administrators can benefit through partnership contexts, but also suggests that institutions of higher education-including academic health centers-should enter into partnerships because they benefit when they commit as stakeholders in the outcomes, not principally as altruistic good neighbors to the schools. Partnerships can continue to grow when multiple stakeholders accept mutual dependence as a norm, with goals, processes, and outcomes impacting each partner.
Project BioEYES: Accessible Student-Driven Science for K–12 Students and Teachers

PubMed Central

Shuda, Jamie R.; Butler, Valerie G.; Vary, Robert; Farber, Steven A.

2016-01-01

BioEYES, a nonprofit outreach program using zebrafish to excite and educate K–12 students about science and how to think and act like scientists, has been integrated into hundreds of under-resourced schools since 2002. During the week-long experiments, students raise zebrafish embryos to learn principles of development and genetics. We have analyzed 19,463 participating students’ pre- and post-tests within the program to examine their learning growth and attitude changes towards science. We found that at all grade levels, BioEYES effectively increased students’ content knowledge and produced favorable shifts in students’ attitudes about science. These outcomes were especially pronounced in younger students. Having served over 100,000 students, we find that our method for providing student-centered experiences and developing long-term partnerships with teachers is essential for the growth and sustainability of outreach and school collaborations. PMID:27832064
The Perceived Work Ethic of K-12 Teachers by Generational Status: Generation X vs. Baby Boom Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petty, Gregory C.

2013-01-01

This was an investigation of the work ethic of K-12 educators from Generation X and Baby Boomer generations. Teachers of the baby boom generation were born between 1946 and 1964, and many are beginning to retire. There is an impending teacher shortage due to the large numbers of this group retiring or leaving the profession. School administrators…
Bringing Engineering Research Coupled With Art Into The K-12 Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cola, J.

2016-12-01

The Partnerships for Research, Innovation and Multi-Scale Engineering Program, a Research Experiences for K-12 Teachers at Georgia Institute of Technology demonstrates a successful program that blends the fine arts with engineering research. Teachers selected for the program improve their science and engineering content knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to use STEAM to increase student comprehension and engagement. Participants in the program designed Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM)- based lessons based on faculty engineering research. Examples of some STEAM lessons created will be discussed along with lessons learned.
Connecting K-12 Educators with Current Scientific Research Through the DataStreme Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brey, J. A.; Geer, I. W.; Mills, E. W.; Nugnes, K. A.; Stimach, A. E.

2016-02-01

One of the greatest challenges in scientific education is finding ways to incorporate recent discoveries into a classroom setting to help students engage in the subject. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) responds to this challenge by connecting K-12 teachers to current Earth science research through the DataStreme Project. The DataStreme Project is a free professional development program for in-service K-12 teachers. DataStreme Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth's Climate System are offered each fall and spring semester by Local Implementation Teams (LITs) across the country in coordination with AMS Education Program scientists and educators who develop instructional materials, provide logistical support to the LITs, and administer the project. Teachers may receive 3 tuition-free graduate credits through State University of New York's The College at Brockport upon completion of each DataStreme course and construction of a Plan of Action for educational peer-training. This plan is the first step for participants to become an Earth system science education resource teacher for their students, peers, and community. While each DataStreme course focuses on its respective topic, there are many sections that accentuate the many ways that atmosphere, ocean, and climate science interact; for example, the effects of climate change on the ocean system are covered at the end of the DataStreme Ocean course. DataStreme emphasizes investigation of real-word and current NASA and NOAA data and utilizes resources from respected organizations in activities and assignments for participants, such as the IPCC and U.S. Global Change Research Program. Since 1996, more than 19,000 teachers have completed a DataStreme course, directly impacting hundreds of thousands of additional teachers and more than 1 million students. As more extensive research is done in the field of environmental science, DataStreme courses will continue to be an excellent resource for teacher professional
South Carolina K-12 Online Schools: A Framework for Measuring Success in Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Carmen Mellisa Boatwright

2013-01-01

In the United States, K-12-12 online schools are growing, but research on the topic is limited. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine if there was a relationship between teacher perceptions of the Effective Schools Correlates and student achievement within two South Carolina online high schools. The independent…
Tech-Savvy Science Education? Understanding Teacher Pedagogical Practices for Integrating Technology in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hechter, Richard; Vermette, Laurie Anne

2014-01-01

This paper examines the technology integration practices of Manitoban K-12 inservice science educators based on the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content knowledge (TPACK) framework. Science teachers (n = 433) completed a 10-item online survey regarding pedagogical beliefs about technology integration, types of technology used, and how often…
Climate History of the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California, USA: Authentic Paleoclimate Research with K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baron, D.; Negrini, R. M.; Palacios-Fest, M. R.; Auffant, K.

2006-12-01

classes incorporating aspects of what they learned during the summer programs. The following features make the investigation of regional paleoclimate an especially rewarding and successful research topic for the summer programs: First, the practical relevance of the research is easily apparent to participating teachers and students; second, the research tasks are relatively straightforward and require only a moderate amount of training; and third, many aspects of the research are relevant in the context of National and California Science Standards. Finally, the research draws on the expertise of CSUB faculty and allows them to advance their own research agendas while engaging in outreach to K-12 schools. They can thus avoid the hard choice between scientific research and educational outreach activities, an all too common dilemma for science faculty under pressure to publish scientific research.
Bringing Space Scientists, Teachers, and Students Together With The CINDI E/PO Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urquhart, M.; Hairston, M.

2007-12-01

We will report on the activities, challenges, and successes of the ongoing collaboration between the William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences (CSS) and the Department of Science/Mathematics Education (SME) at the University of Texas at Dallas. At the core of our partnership is the Education and Public Outreach program for the Coupled Ion / Neutral Dynamics Investigation (CINDI) instrument. CINDI is a NASA-funded program on the Air Force's Communication / Navigation Outage Forecast Satellite (C/NOFS) which will be launched in summer 2008. The CSS faculty and research scientists and the SME faculty and students have created a dynamic program that brings scientists and K-12 teachers together. Our activities include middle and high school curriculum development, teachers workshops, graduate course work for teachers, creation of the popular "Cindi in Space" educational comic book, and bringing K-12 teachers and students to work and/or visit with the CINDI scientists. We will present the outcomes of this collaborative effort as well as our recent experience of having a physics teacher from a local high school as our Teacher in Residence at CSS in summer 2007.
Career education attitudes and practices of K-12 science educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Walter S.

A random sample of 400 K-12 science educators who were members of the National Science Teachers Association were surveyed regarding their attitude toward and practice of career education in their science teaching. These science teachers rejected a narrowly vocational view, favoring instead a conception of career education which included self-perception, values analysis, and vocational skills objectives. The science educators affirmed the importance of career education for a student's education, asserted career education ought to be taught in their existing science courses, and expressed a willingness to do so. Fewer than one-third of the science teachers, however, reported incorporating career education at least on a weekly basis in their science lessons. The major impediment to including more career education in science teaching was seen to be their lack of knowledge of methods and materials relevant to science career education, rather than objections from students, parents, or administrators; their unwillingness; or their evaluation of career education as unimportant. Thus, in order to improve this aspect of science teaching, science teachers need more concrete information about science career education applications.
Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about Using Maker Activities in Formal K-12 Educational Settings: A Multi-Institutional Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, W. Monty; Smith, Shaunna; Cohen, Jonathan

2017-01-01

This qualitative study examined preservice teachers' beliefs about using maker activities in formal educational settings. Eighty-two preservice and early-career teachers at three different universities in the United States took part in one-time workshops designed to introduce them to various maker tools and activities applicable to K-12…
Earth Exploration Toolbook Workshops: Web-Conferencing and Teleconferencing Professional Development Bringing Earth Science Data Analysis and Visualization Tools to K-12 Teachers and Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAuliffe, C.; Ledley, T.

2008-12-01

The Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) Workshops Project provides a mechanism for teachers and students to have successful data-using educational experiences. In this professional development project, teachers learn to use National Science Digital Library (NSDL), the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE), and an Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) chapter. In an EET Data Analysis Workshop, participants walk through an Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) chapter, learning basic data analysis techniques and discussing ways to use Earth science datasets and analysis tools with their students. We have offered twenty-eight Data Analysis Workshops since the project began. The total number of participants in the twenty-eight workshops to date is three hundred eleven, which reflects one hundred eighty different teachers participating in one or more workshops. Our workshops reach middle and high school teachers across the United States at schools with lower socioeconomic levels and at schools with large numbers of minority students. Our participants come from thirty-eight different states including Alaska, Maine, Florida, Montana, and many others. Eighty-six percent of our participants are classroom teachers. The remaining fourteen percent are staff development specialists, university faculty, or outreach educators working with teachers. Of the classroom teachers, one third are middle school teachers (grades 6 to 8) and two thirds are high school teachers (grades 9 to 12.) Thirty-four percent of our participants come from schools where minority populations are the majority make up of the school. Twenty-five percent of our participants are at schools where the majority of the students receive free or reduced cost lunches. Our professional development workshops are helping to raise teachers' awareness of both the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) and the National Science Digital Library (NSDL). Prior to taking one of our workshops, forty-two percent of
Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover Intention of Online Teachers in the K-12 Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Ingle M.; Brantley-Dias, Laurie; Lokey-Vega, Anissa

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure and explore factors influencing K-12 online teachers' job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. Using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (1954), Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Satisfaction (1959, 1968), Meyer and Allen's measure of Organizational Commitment (1997), and Fishbein and…
Saline Lakes: Platforms for Place-Based Scientific Inquiry by K-12 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godsey, H. S.; Chapman, D. S.; Hynek, S. A.; Jarrell, E.; Johnson, W. P.; Naftz, D. L.; Neuman, C. R.; Uno, K.

2006-12-01

WEST (Water, the Environment, Science and Teaching) is an NSF-funded GK-12 program at the University of Utah. WEST partners graduate students in the sciences with K-12 teachers to enhance inquiry and place- based science teaching in the Salt Lake City urban area. This region is unique in that habitats relating to the entire local hydrologic cycle are accessible within 30 minutes drive of the city. Great Salt Lake, a large closed-basin lake northwest of the city, generates lake-effect snows that fall on the mountains to the east and serves as the terminal point for rivers and streams that drain over 89,000 km2. The lake's salinity ranges from 14-25% and only a few halophilic species are able to survive in its waters. Despite the low diversity, brine shrimp, brine flies, algae and bacteria are abundant in Great Salt Lake and provide the basis of the food chain for millions of migratory shorebirds and waterfowl that feed in the open water, wetlands and saline flats. WEST has teamed up with researchers from the University of Utah, the USGS, the Utah State Dept. of Environmental Quality, local advocacy groups and a private consulting firm to develop a series of projects that involve K-12 students in an actual research project to study the effects of anthropogenic influences on the lake. The study will produce site-specific water-quality standards to protect the invertebrates, shorebirds, and waterfowl that utilize Great Salt Lake. Students will participate in a research cruise on the lake, collecting samples and data to contribute to an online database that will be shared among participating schools. Students will learn about navigation tools, collect and examine brine shrimp, and measure concentrations of optical brighteners and cyanobacteria as indicators of anthropogenic influences to Great Salt Lake. Parts of the southern arm of the lake are stratified into an upper and lower brine layer and the interface between the two layers can be identified by abrupt changes in
From the Dress-Up Corner to the Senior Prom: Navigating Gender and Sexuality Diversity in PreK-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryan, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Very few PreK-12 teachers are adequately trained to address the gender identity and sexual identity of their students in a developmentally-appropriate and pedagogically-sound manner. Yet responsible adults--parents, educators, pre-service teachers, coaches, religious instructors, camp administrators and school counselors--must help children…
K-12 students with concussions: a legal perspective.

PubMed

Zirkel, Perry A; Brown, Brenda Eagan

2015-04-01

This article provides a multipart analysis of the public schools' responsibility for students with concussions. The first part provides the prevailing diagnostic definitions of concussions and postconcussive syndrome. The second and central part provides (a) the legal framework of the two overlapping federal laws--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the varying state laws or local policies for individual health plans and (b) a summary of the developing body of hearing officer decisions, court decisions, and Office for Civil Rights rulings that have applied this framework to K-12 students with concussions. The final part offers recommendations for proactive return to school policies, with the school nurse playing a central supporting role. © The Author(s) 2014.
Online K-12 Charter School Administrators' Perceptions of Newly Hired Teachers' Transferal Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Julin

2017-01-01

When hired to teach courses online, traditionally trained teachers may struggle to transition from non-online instructional delivery skills to research-based best practice strategies designed for the online classroom. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine how online K-12 charter school administrators perceived the…
Impact of a Scientist-Teacher Collaborative Model on Students, Teachers, and Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shein, Paichi Pat; Tsai, Chun-Yen

2015-09-01

Collaborations between the K-12 teachers and higher education or professional scientists have become a widespread approach to science education reform. Educational funding and efforts have been invested to establish these cross-institutional collaborations in many countries. Since 2006, Taiwan initiated the High Scope Program, a high school science curriculum reform to promote scientific innovation and inquiry through an integration of advanced science and technology in high school science curricula through partnership between high school teachers and higher education scientists and science educators. This study, as part of this governmental effort, a scientist-teacher collaborative model (STCM) was constructed by 8 scientists and 4 teachers to drive an 18-week high school science curriculum reform on environmental education in a public high school. Partnerships between scientists and teachers offer opportunities to strengthen the elements of effective science teaching identified by Shulman and ultimately affect students' learning. Mixed methods research was used for this study. Qualitative methods of interviews were used to understand the impact on the teachers' and scientists' science teaching. A quasi-experimental design was used to understand the impact on students' scientific competency and scientific interest. The findings in this study suggest that the use of the STCM had a medium effect on students' scientific competency and a large effect on students' scientific individual and situational interests. In the interviews, the teachers indicated how the STCM allowed them to improve their content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and the scientists indicated an increased knowledge of learners, knowledge of curriculum, and PCK.
Policing in Schools: Developing a Governance Document for School Resource Officers in K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Catherine Y.; Geronimo, India

2010-01-01

K-12 public schools across the country have begun to deploy law enforcement agents on school grounds in growing numbers. In 2004, 60% of high school teachers reported armed police officers stationed on school grounds, and in 2005, almost 70% of public school students ages 12 to 18 reported that police officers or security guards patrol their…
Student Recommendations for Improving Nutrition in America's K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NCSSSMST Journal, 2006

2006-01-01

Co-hosted by the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (NCSSSMST) and The Keystone Center, the third annual Keystone Center Youth Policy Summit focused on Adolescent and Childhood Nutrition in America's K-12 Schools. In June 2006, 40 students from 10 math and science schools came together in…

Developing Culturally Competent Teachers: An International Student Teaching Field Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salmona, Michelle; Partlo, Margaret; Kaczynski, Dan; Leonard, Simon N.

2015-01-01

This study offers a theoretical construct for better understanding how experiential learning enables student teachers to acquire social and cultural variation skills, develop cultural empathy in the K-12 classroom, and the transference of these skills to new educational situations. An Australian and United States research team used a…
Reciprocal Education Experiences In Two GK-12 Programs: Teachers Learning And Students Teaching In Diverse Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, M.; Williams, C.; Rodriguez, T.; Greely, T.; Pyrtle, A. J.; Rivera-Rentas, A. L.; Vilches, M.

2004-12-01

The National Science Foundation's Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) Program has enabled science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate schools across the country to become more active in local area K-12 schools. An overview of a graduate student's experiences, insights gained and lessons learned as a Fellow in the 2003-2004 Universidad Metropolitana's (UMET) environmental science and the 2004-2005 University of South Florida's (USF) ocean science GK-12 Programs is presented. The major goals of the 2003-2004 UMET GK-12 Program were 1) to enrich environmental science teaching and learning via a thematic approach in eight local public schools and 2) to provide UMET graduate students with exposure to teaching methodologies and practical teaching experience. Utilizing examples from local environments in and nearby Carolina, Puerto Rico to teach key science principles at Escuela de la Comunidad Juana Rodriguez Mundo provided numerous opportunities to relate science topics to students' daily life experiences. By 2004, the UMET GK-12 Program had successfully engaged the entire student body (primarily comprised of bilingual minority kindergarten to sixth graders), teachers and school administrators in environment-focused teaching and learning activities. Examples of such activities include tree planting projects to minimize local erosion, conducting a science fair for the first time in many years, and numerous opportunities to experience what "real scientists do" while conducting environmental science investigations. During the 2004-2005 academic year, skills, insights and lessons learned as a UMET GK-12 Fellow are being further enhanced through participation in the USF GK-12 OCEANS Program. The overall objectives of the 2004-2005 USF GK-12 OCEANS assignment at Madeira Beach Elementary School in Saint Petersburg, Florida are to 1) engage students from various ethnic backgrounds and cultures in hands-on science activities, 2) enhance the
California K-12 Schools and Communities Collaborate to Support Student Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodbridge, Michelle W.; Goldweber, Asha; Yu, Jennifer; Golan, Shari; Stein, Bradley D.

2013-01-01

Across the education, public health, and human and social services areas, there is renewed interest in bringing agency representatives together to work on the promotion of student mental health and wellness. One of the aims of California's Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) K-12 Student Mental Health (SMH) initiative funded under Proposition…
Teachers, Please Learn Our Names!: Racial Microagressions and the K-12 Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohli, Rita; Solorzano, Daniel G.

2012-01-01

Many Students of Color have encountered cultural disrespect within their K-12 education in regards to their names. While the racial undertones to the mispronouncing of names in schools are often understated, when analyzed within a context of historical and current day racism, the authors argue that these incidents are racial…
Implementing the ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students through Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow, Marguerite Ann, Ed.

Written by English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers and teacher educators who played key roles in the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages' (TESOL) Standards and Assessment Project, this book is designed for preservice teachers in credential/licensure programs and master's programs at American universities and for practicing ESL…
Students Doing Chemistry: A Hand-On Experience for K-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selco, Jodye I.; Bruno, Mary; Chan, Sue

2012-01-01

A hands-on, minds-on inquiry chemistry experiment was developed for use in K-12 schools that enables students to combine the chemicals of their choice and observe the results. The chemistry involved is water based and builds upon acid-base, double displacement, and iodometric detection of starch reactions. Chemicals readily available in the…
Effects of 12-week Vegetarian Diet on the Nutritional Status, Stress Status and Bowel Habits in Middle School Students and Teachers.

PubMed

Lee, Bo Ra; Ko, Yu Mi; Cho, Mi Hee; Yoon, Young Ran; Kye, Seung Hee; Park, Yoo Kyoung

2016-04-01

This study investigated the effect of switching normal diet to vegetarian diet rich in vegetables and fruits for school foodservice and home meal on the nutritional status, bowel habit improvement and stress reduction of teachers and adolescents. A total of 40 research subjects (26 students, 14 teachers) from one middle school voluntarily participated in the research. Questionnaire surveys and blood analysis were conducted before and after a 12-week vegetarian diet period. The participants were asked on their dietary habit, bowel habit and stress measurement. After 12 weeks, reduction of BMI (kg/m(2)) in the students (p < 0.05) and reduction of TC (mg/dL) in both teachers and students (p < 0.05) were observed. Also reduction of LDL-C (mg/dL) was observed in the teachers (p < 0.05) whereas serum calcium and Vitamin B12 was increased in the students and teachers (p < 0.005). The teacher's stress level was reduced (p < 0.05) after the 12-week vegetarian diet. As for the changes in bowel habit, the number of the students and teachers classified as experiencing functional constipation was decreased respectively from 10 to 7, from 7 to 5. Based on the result, it is considered that the vegetarian diet rich in fruits and vegetables improved general health status of study subjects suggesting that such a dietary habit would substantially contribute to improving nutritional status and bowel habit.
Effects of 12-week Vegetarian Diet on the Nutritional Status, Stress Status and Bowel Habits in Middle School Students and Teachers

PubMed Central

Lee, Bo Ra; Ko, Yu Mi; Cho, Mi Hee; Yoon, Young Ran

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effect of switching normal diet to vegetarian diet rich in vegetables and fruits for school foodservice and home meal on the nutritional status, bowel habit improvement and stress reduction of teachers and adolescents. A total of 40 research subjects (26 students, 14 teachers) from one middle school voluntarily participated in the research. Questionnaire surveys and blood analysis were conducted before and after a 12-week vegetarian diet period. The participants were asked on their dietary habit, bowel habit and stress measurement. After 12 weeks, reduction of BMI (kg/m2) in the students (p < 0.05) and reduction of TC (mg/dL) in both teachers and students (p < 0.05) were observed. Also reduction of LDL-C (mg/dL) was observed in the teachers (p < 0.05) whereas serum calcium and Vitamin B12 was increased in the students and teachers (p < 0.005). The teacher's stress level was reduced (p < 0.05) after the 12-week vegetarian diet. As for the changes in bowel habit, the number of the students and teachers classified as experiencing functional constipation was decreased respectively from 10 to 7, from 7 to 5. Based on the result, it is considered that the vegetarian diet rich in fruits and vegetables improved general health status of study subjects suggesting that such a dietary habit would substantially contribute to improving nutritional status and bowel habit. PMID:27152300
Historical Novels: Engaging Student Teachers in K-10 History Pre-Service Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodwell, Grant

2010-01-01

This paper aims to illustrate how the historical novel may be used as an engaging teacher/learning strategy for undergraduate student teachers in pre-service teacher education units, the vast majority of which simply provide for a single 10-credit point unit in order to prepare student teachers for the classroom. First, this paper will argue the…
Voices from the Classroom: Experiences of Teachers of Deaf Students with Additional Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musyoka, Millicent Malinda; Gentry, Mary Anne; Bartlett, James Joseph

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate experiences of K-12 classroom teachers of deaf students with additional disabilities. Today, more deaf and hard of hearing students are identified as having additional disabilities (Bruce, DiNatale & Ford, 2008; Ewing, 2011; Gallaudet Research Institute, 2011; Jones, Jones & Ewing, 2006;…
Forest Watch: A K-12 Outreach Program to Engage Pre-College Students in Authentic, Hands-On Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagnon, M. T.; Rock, B. N.

2009-12-01

The Forest Watch Program is a K-12 hands-on science outreach program developed at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in 1991. The program has engaged students and their teachers in assisting researchers at UNH in the assessment of the state-of-health of white pine (Pinus strobus), a known bio-indicator species for exposure to elevated levels of ground-level ozone. Students are introduced to the scientific method while participating in an authentic on-going research program. The program was designed in partnership with participating teachers, and thus the field and classroom activities meet specific New England state science and mathematics curricula standards for K-12 education. Student participation in Forest Watch has resulted in an improved understanding and characterization of inter-annual white pine response to changes in air quality across the region over the past two decades. Forest Watch, students participate in three types of activities: 1. the analysis of remote sensing data (Landsat TM) provided for their local area using MultiSpec freeware. Through image processing, students learn the concepts of spatial and spectral resolution; how to identify landcover features; how plants interact with visible and infrared energy; and how to use this information to determine vegetation types and identify vegetation conditions. 2. students select 5 white pine trees to be permanently tagged near their school within a 30x30 meter (pixel sized sampling plot - the spatial resolution of the TM dataset), followed by collection and analysis of needle samples, and a suite of forest plot biometric measurements such as tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and canopy closure and ground cover. 3. the students send a set of their needle samples to UNH for spectral analysis of key reflectance features such as the Red Edge Inflection Point (REIP), the TM 5/4 moisture stress index, and the NIR 3/1. Over 250 schools from all six New England states have participated in the
Quality Science Teacher Professional Development and Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2007-12-01

Studies show that socio-economic background and parental education accounts for 50-60 percent of a child's achievement in school. School, and other influences, account for the remaining 40-50 percent. In contrast to most other professions, schools require no real apprenticeship training of science teachers. Overall, only 38 percent of United States teachers have had any on-the-job training in their first teaching position, and in some cases this consisted of a few meetings over the course of a year between the beginning teacher and the assigned mentor or master teacher. Since individual teachers determine the bulk of a student's school experiences, interventions focused on teachers have the greatest likelihood of affecting students. To address this deficiency, partnerships between scientists and K-12 teachers are increasingly recognized as an excellent method for improving teacher preparedness and the quality of science education. Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers' (founded in 1990) basic premise is simple: teachers cannot effectively teach science if they have no firsthand experience doing science, hence the Program's motto, "Practice what you teach." Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers provides strong evidence that a teacher research program is a very effective form of professional development for secondary school science teachers and has a direct correlation to increased student achievement in science. The author will present the methodology of the program's evaluation citing statistically significant data. The author will also show the economic benefits of teacher participation in this form of professional development.
School Counselor and School Nurse Collaboration: Partnering for K-12 Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuttle, Malti; Yordy, Morgan; Appling, Brandee; Hanley, Erika

2018-01-01

School counselors and school nurses strive to support the well-being of students in K-12 school settings. Both professionals often overlap and interact with the same students prompting the need for effective collaboration. The purpose of this article is to introduce a collaboration model to assist school counselors and school nurses in forming a…
K-8 Teachers' Concerns about Teaching Latino/a Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anhalt, Cynthia Oropesa; Rodríguez Pérez, María Elena

2013-01-01

In this article, the authors examine elementary and middle school mathematics teachers' concerns about teaching Latino/a student populations across three regions in the United States: southern Arizona, northern New Mexico, and central California. Surveys were administered to 68 teachers who participated in professional development activities on…
Teacher-Astronaut out to Lift Academic Sights of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trotter, Andrew

2007-01-01

The space shuttle Endeavour, slated to begin an 11-day mission August 7, will carry an educational payload that includes two "growth chambers" loaded with basil and lettuce seeds, and a list of activities to be led by teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara R. Morgan. The activities targeted to K-12 students are add-ons to the shuttle crew's primary…
Evaluation of Teacher Perceptions and Potential of OpenOffice in a K-12 School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vajda, James; Abbitt, Jason T.

2011-01-01

Through this mixed-method evaluation study the authors investigated a pilot implementation of an open-source productivity suite for teachers in a K-12 public school district. The authors evaluated OpenOffice version 3.0 using measures identified by the technology acceptance model as predictors of acceptance and use of technology systems. During a…
K-12 Online Learning and Students with Disabilities: Perspectives from State Special Education Directors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burdette, Paula J.; Greer, Diana L.; Woods, Kari L.

2013-01-01

K-12 special education policies and practices that ensure students with disabilities receive a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment are coming under pressure from the rapid expansion of online learning. Forty-six state and non-state jurisdiction special education directors responded to a brief survey about K-12…
Connecting the Dots: Postsecondary's Role in Preparing K-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, 2012

2012-01-01

For the first time in the nation's history 46 States and the District of Columbia have agreed that all K-12 students will be educated along a common continuum of high academic expectations known as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Having clear, consistent standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics will help ensure that all…
Examining Elementary Teachers' Engineering Self-Efficacy and Engineering Teacher Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammack, Rebekah; Ivey, Toni

2017-01-01

Research indicates that teacher efficacy influences student achievement and is situation specific. With the Next Generation Science Standards calling for the incorporation of engineering practices into K-12 classrooms, it is important to identify teachers' engineering teaching efficacy. A study of K-5 teachers' engineering self-efficacy and…
Teaching Self-Determination and Arizona Standards for K-12 Students with Disabilities Lesson Plan Portfolio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Libby, Amanda

This document presents eight lesson plans designed to teach self-determination and Arizona academic standards to students with disabilities in grades K-12. The lesson plans include: (1) an oral language lesson plan for students with learning disabilities in grades 1-2; (2) a reading acquisition lesson that teaches color words to students with…

Empowering K-12 Students with Disabilities to Learn Computational Thinking and Computer Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Israel, Maya; Wherfel, Quentin M.; Pearson, Jamie; Shehab, Saadeddine; Tapia, Tanya

2015-01-01

This article's focus is on including computing and computational thinking in K-12 instruction within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, and to provide that instruction in ways that promote access for students traditionally underrepresented in the STEM fields, such as students with disabilities. Providing computing…
Preparing Teachers for Online Instruction with a Graduate Certificate Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Craig E.; Bolliger, Doris U.; Dousay, Tonia A.; Persichitte, Kay

2016-01-01

Online education for K-12 students has grown rapidly over the past decade. Approximately four million K-12 students enroll in one or more online courses each year. Because online learning is expanding into K-12 settings, teacher education programs need to prepare preservice teachers to be successful in these areas. This paper describes the design…
A Pre-Service Teacher Training Model with Instructional Technology Graduate Students as Peer Coaches to Elementary Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slagter van Tryon, Patricia J.; Schwartz, Catherine Stein

2012-01-01

This paper describes a peer coaching collaboration between graduate students in a Master's program in Instructional Technology and undergraduate pre-service teachers enrolled in an elementary mathematics methods course. Integrated as a major project in a graduate level K-12 technology integration course, the Instructional Technology students…
K-12 Neuroscience Education Outreach Program: Interactive Activities for Educating Students about Neuroscience.

PubMed

Deal, Alex L; Erickson, Kristen J; Bilsky, Edward J; Hillman, Susan J; Burman, Michael A

2014-01-01

The University of New England's Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences has developed a successful and growing K-12 outreach program that incorporates undergraduate and graduate/professional students. The program has several goals, including raising awareness about fundamental issues in neuroscience, supplementing science education in area schools and enhancing undergraduate and graduate/professional students' academic knowledge and skill set. The outreach curriculum is centered on core neuroscience themes including: Brain Safety, Neuroanatomy, Drugs of Abuse and Addiction, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, and Cognition and Brain Function. For each theme, lesson plans were developed based upon interactive, small-group activities. Additionally, we've organized our themes in a "Grow-up, Grow-out" approach. Grow-up refers to returning to a common theme, increasing in complexity as we revisit students from early elementary through high school. Grow-out refers to integrating other scientific fields into our lessons, such as the chemistry of addiction, the physics of brain injury and neuronal imaging. One of the more successful components of our program is our innovative team-based model of curriculum design. By creating a team of undergraduate, graduate/professional students and faculty, we create a unique multi-level mentoring opportunity that appears to be successful in enhancing undergraduate students' skills and knowledge. Preliminary assessments suggest that undergraduates believe they are enhancing their content knowledge and professional skills through our program. Additionally, we're having a significant, short-term impact on K-12 interest in science. Overall, our program appears to be enhancing the academic experience of our undergraduates and exciting K-12 students about the brain and science in general.
K-12 Education

Science.gov Websites

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Developing a Nationwide K-12 Outreach Model: Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week 10 Years Later

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stieben, Margaret; Halpin, Patricia A.; Matyas, Marsha Lakes

2017-01-01

Since 2005, nearly 600 Physiology Understanding Week (PhUn Week) events have taken place across the U.S., involving American Physiological Society (APS) members in K-12 outreach. The program seeks to build student understanding of physiology and physiology careers, assist teachers in recognizing physiology in their standards-based curriculum, and…
Seizing the Moment: Community Colleges Collaborating with K-12 to Improve Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Community Colleges, 2016

2016-01-01

With the national spotlight on community colleges, the sector has a unique opportunity to seize the moment and collaborate with K-12 to increase student success. Efforts to increase community college access and open doors to more students must include a complementary focus on improving readiness. Otherwise, remediation rates will remain…
The Effect of Participation in Professional Development on Perceived Change in Teaching Practice by Minnesota K-12 Physical Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sertich, Sally Krause

2013-01-01

This study used a conceptual framework of professional development theory to identify characteristics of effective learning activities specific to 259 Minnesota K-12 public school physical education and developmental adapted physical education (PE/DAPE) teachers during 2012-2013. Study results confirmed that as PE/DAPE teacher participation in…
Victims of the Churn: The Damaging Impact of California's Teacher Layoff Policies on Schools, Students, and Communities in Three Large School Districts. K-12 Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hahnel, Carrie; Barondess, Heather; Ramanathan, Arun

2011-01-01

California's students, particularly its poorest students, need great teachers. Unfortunately, California's seniority-based teacher layoff system puts adult privileges over student needs. Newer teachers are laid off first, regardless of how well they do their jobs. This system is especially damaging to schools serving the highest numbers of…
Workshop Results: Teaching Geoscience to K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nahm, A.; Villalobos, J. I.; White, J.; Smith-Konter, B. R.

2012-12-01

A workshop for high school and middle school Earth and Space Science (ESS) teachers was held this summer (2012) as part of an ongoing collaboration between the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and El Paso Community College (EPCC) Departments of Geological Sciences. This collaborative effort aims to build local Earth science literacy and educational support for the geosciences. Sixteen teachers from three school districts from El Paso and southern New Mexico area participated in the workshop, consisting of middle school, high school, early college high school, and dual credit faculty. The majority of the teachers had little to no experience teaching geoscience, thus this workshop provided an introduction to basic geologic concepts to teachers with broad backgrounds, which will result in the introduction of geoscience to many new students each year. The workshop's goal was to provide hands-on activities illustrating basic geologic and scientific concepts currently used in introductory geology labs/lectures at both EPCC and UTEP to help engage pre-college students. Activities chosen for the workshop were an introduction to Google Earth for use in the classroom, relative age dating and stratigraphy using volcanoes, plate tectonics utilizing the jigsaw pedagogy, and the scientific method as a think-pair-share activity. All activities where designed to be low cost and materials were provided for instructors to take back to their institutions. A list of online resources for teaching materials was also distributed. Before each activity, a short pre-test was given to the participants to gauge their level of knowledge on the subjects. At the end of the workshop, participants were given a post-test, which tested the knowledge gain made by participating in the workshop. In all cases, more correct answers were chosen in the post-test than the individual activity pre-tests, indicating that knowledge of the subjects was gained. The participants enjoyed participating in these
Engaging teachers & students in geosciences by exploring local geoheritage sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gochis, E. E.; Gierke, J. S.

2014-12-01

Understanding geoscience concepts and the interactions of Earth system processes in one's own community has the potential to foster sound decision making for environmental, economic and social wellbeing. School-age children are an appropriate target audience for improving Earth Science literacy and attitudes towards scientific practices. However, many teachers charged with geoscience instruction lack awareness of local geological significant examples or the pedagogical ability to integrate place-based examples into their classroom practice. This situation is further complicated because many teachers of Earth science lack a firm background in geoscience course work. Strategies for effective K-12 teacher professional development programs that promote Earth Science literacy by integrating inquiry-based investigations of local and regional geoheritage sites into standards based curriculum were developed and tested with teachers at a rural school on the Hannahville Indian Reservation located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The workshops initiated long-term partnerships between classroom teachers and geoscience experts. We hypothesize that this model of professional development, where teachers of school-age children are prepared to teach local examples of earth system science, will lead to increased engagement in Earth Science content and increased awareness of local geoscience examples by K-12 students and the public.
Teachers' Perceptions of Formal Testing of Students in Grades K-2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coppola, Adriana Battista

2017-01-01

School leaders and teachers are confronted with federal, state, and local mandates that must be followed to ensure all students reach their fullest academic potential. To this end, the challenge has been raised to teachers and administrators to have younger students in the lower elementary grades prepared for standardized student testing.…
Einstein Online: A Web-based Course for K-12 Teachers from the American Museum of Natural History

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, Robert

2004-05-01

Einstein Online: A Web-based Course for K-12 Teachers from the American Museum of Natural History Robert V. Steiner, Ph.D. Project Director, Seminars on Science American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History, in collaboration with Hebrew University and the Skirball Cultural Center, has created a major exhibit on Albert Einstein, including extensive coverage of his contributions to relativity, quantum mechanics and unified field theories as well as the social and political dimensions of his life. Leveraging the assets of this exhibit as well as the expertise of the Museum's Department of Astrophysics and its Education Department, a six-week online professional development course for K-12 teachers has been created, providing inquires into some of the frontiers of physics through rich media resources, facilitated discussion forums and assignments. The course, which requires only minimal Web access, offers a unique opportunity for teachers across the United States to explore modern physics guided by a working scientist and a skilled online facilitator. The course includes original essays by Museum scientists, images, video, simulations, web links and digital resources for classroom use. The course design, development, implementation and evaluation are reviewed.
Bullying in college by students and teachers.

PubMed

Chapell, Mark; Casey, Diane; De la Cruz, Carmen; Ferrell, Jennifer; Forman, Jennifer; Lipkin, Randi; Newsham, Megan; Sterling, Michael; Whittaker, Suzanne

2004-01-01

This study explored bullying in college by students and teachers. The reports of a sample of 1,025 undergraduates indicated that 24.7% had seen students bully other students occasionally and 2.8% very frequently, 5% had been bullied by students occasionally and 1.1% very frequently, 12.8% had seen teachers bully students occasionally and 1.9% very frequently, 4.2% had been bullied by teachers occasionally and .5% very frequently, while 3.2% had bullied other students occasionally and 1.9% very frequently. Male students bullied significantly more than females. Student bullying was predicted by having seen other students bully, and by having been bullied by both students and teachers.
School Hopscotch: A Comprehensive Review of K-12 Student Mobility in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welsh, Richard O.

2017-01-01

This article provides an integrative review of the extant literature on K-12 student mobility in the United States. Student mobility is a widespread phenomenon with significant policy implications. Changing schools is most prevalent among minority and low-income students in urban school districts. There is an ongoing debate about whether student…
Laboratory Safety Guide for Arkansas K-12 Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arkansas State Dept. of Education, Little Rock.

This document presents laboratory safety rules for Arkansas K-12 schools which were developed by the Arkansas Science Teachers Association (ASTA) and the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). Contents include: (1) "Laboratory Safety Guide for Arkansas K-12 Schools"; (2) "Safety Considerations"; (3) "Safety Standards for Science Laboratories";…
Beyond Concern: K-12 Faculty and Staff's Perspectives on Privacy Topics and Cybersafety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipsky, Shellie; Younes, Wiam

2015-01-01

In a time when discussions about information privacy dominate the media, research on Cybersafety education reveals that K-12 teachers and staff are concerned about information privacy in schools and they seek to learn more about the protection of their students' and own personal information online. Privacy topics are typically introduced to the…
Use of ePortfolios in K-12 Teacher Hiring in North Carolina: Perspectives of School Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndoye, Abdou; Ritzhaupt, Albert Dieter; Parker, Michele A.

2012-01-01

This study explored the perceptions of principals involved in the hiring process of K-12 teachers in 11 counties in southeastern North Carolina. Forty-nine principals responded to a survey on ePortfolio use in the hiring process: the pros and cons, desirable artifacts, stage of use, preferred delivery method, and improvements that can increase…
Why Teachers Adopt a Controlling Motivating Style toward Students and How They Can Become More Autonomy Supportive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeve, Johnmarshall

2009-01-01

A recurring paradox in the contemporary K-12 classroom is that, although students educationally and developmentally benefit when teachers support their autonomy, teachers are often controlling during instruction. To understand and remedy this paradox, the article pursues three goals. First, the article characterizes the controlling style by…
Advancing Climate Change Education: Student Engagement and Teacher Talk in the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holthuis, N.; Saltzman, J.; Lotan, R.; Mastrandrea, M. D.; Diffenbaugh, P.; Gray, S.; Kloser, M.

2011-12-01

Stanford's Global Climate Change: Professional Development for K-12 Teachers is a unique collaboration between the Stanford School of Education and School of Earth Sciences to provide teacher professional development on the science of global climate change, pedagogical strategies, and curriculum materials. Scientists and education specialists developed a curriculum for middle and high school science classrooms. It addresses the fundamental issues of climate science, the impacts of climate change on society and on global resources, mitigation and adaptation strategies. This project documents in detail the full circle of curriculum development, teacher professional development, classroom implementation, analysis of student achievement data, and curriculum revision. Ongoing evaluation has provided understanding of the unique conditions and requirements of climate change education. In a sample of 750 secondary students in 25 Bay Area classrooms, we found statistically significant differences between post- (x=11.56, sd=4.75) and pre- (x=8.64, sd=4.58) test scores on standardized items and short open-ended essay questions. Through systematic classroom observations (300 observations in 25 classrooms), we documented student engagement and interactions, and the nature of teachers' talk in the classroom. We found that on average, 73.4% of the students were engaged, 14.4% were interacting with peers, and about 12.1% were disengaged. We also documented teacher talk (165 observations) and found that on the average, teachers delivered factual content and talked about classroom processes and spent less time on scientific argumentation, reasoning and/ or analysis. We documented significant differences in the quality of implementation among the teachers. Our study suggests that in addition to strengthening content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, professional development for teachers needs to include classroom management strategies, explicit modeling of collaborative

Data-Driven Decision-Making: Facilitating Teacher Use of Student Data to Inform Classroom Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schifter, Catherine C.; Natarajan, Uma; Ketelhut, Diane Jass; Kirchgessner, Amanda

2014-01-01

Data-driven decision making is essential in K-12 education today, but teachers often do not know how to make use of extensive data sets. Research shows that teachers are not taught how to use extensive data (i.e., multiple data sets) to reflect on student progress or to differentiate instruction. This paper presents a process used in an National…
Online K-12 Teachers' Perceptions and Practices of Supporting Self-Regulated Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huh, Yeol; Reigeluth, Charles M.

2018-01-01

With growing interest in and popularity of online learning and lifelong learners, students' ability to be engaged in self-regulated learning (SRL) has become more important. Moreover, online learning is becoming an important feature of K-12 education. Although SRL is known to be important and teachable, little research has been conducted on…
Perceptions of Stress among Native American and Hispanic K-5 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotz-Drlik, Jane Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Within the context of a nationwide shortage of teachers of color, stable enrollment of Native American students, and increasing enrollments of Hispanic students, the purpose of this study was to examine self-reported stress among Native American, Hispanic, and Caucasian K-5 teachers. This was a mixed-methods study, with both quantitative and…
Cataclysms and Catastrophes: A Case Study of Improving K-12 Science Education Through a University Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fennell, T.; Ellins, K. K.; Morris, M.; Christeson, G.

2003-12-01

The K-12 science teacher is always seeking ways of improving and updating their curriculum by integrating the latest research into their most effective classroom activities. However, the daily demands of delivering instruction to large numbers of students coupled with the rapid advances in some fields of science can often overwhelm this effort. The NSF-sponsored Cataclysms and Catastrophes curriculum, developed by scientists from the The University of Texas at Austin Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) and Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG), middle and high school teachers, and UT graduate students (NSF GK-12 fellows) working together through the GK-12 program, is a textbook example of how universities can facilitate this quest, benefiting education at both K-12 and university levels. In 1992, "The Great K-T Extinction Debate" was developed as an activity in the Planet Earth class at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy of Austin as an interdisciplinary approach to science. Taking advantage of the media attention generated by the impact scenario for the K-T extinction, the activity consists of students participating in a simulated senate hearing on the potential causes of the K-T extinction and their implications for society today. This activity not only exposes students to the wide range of science involved in understanding mass extinctions, but also to the social, political and economic implications when this science is brought into the public arena and the corresponding use of data in decision making and disaster preparedness. While "The Great K-T Extinction Debate" was always a popular and effective activity with students, it was in desperate need of updating to keep pace with the evolving scientific debate over the cause of the K-T extinction and the growing body of impact evidence discovered over the past decade. By adding two inquiry-based learning activities that use real geophysical data collected by scientists studying the buried Chicxulub feature as a
How Do K-12 Students' Manage Applications on Their Mobile Devices?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aladjem, Ruthi; Hardof, Sharon

2016-01-01

Personal information management (PIM) is a research field that examines the activities by which users save, organize and retrieve personal information items. PIM is a one of the essential new literacies for learners in the 21st century. This paper reports results from a pilot study that explored PIM practices and strategies of K-12 students, on…
The Debate of Evolution versus Intelligent Design: Is Critical Thinking Occurring among K-12 Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoodman, Kyle Nathan

2010-01-01

This study investigates how evolution versus intelligent design is handled in the public, private Christian, private Jewish, and Christian Home-school K-12 settings through a review of the current literature and by interviewing teachers in these educational venues. Fourteen public, private, and homeschool educators responded to an interview…
K-12 Students' Perceptions of Scientists: Finding a Valid Measurement and Exploring Whether Exposure to Scientists Makes an Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillman, Susan J.; Bloodsworth, Kylie H.; Tilburg, Charles E.; Zeeman, Stephan I.; List, Henrietta E.

2014-01-01

This study was launched from a National Science Foundation GK-12 grant in which graduate fellows in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are placed in classrooms to engage K-12 students in STEM activities. The investigation explored whether the STEM Fellows' presence impacted the K-12 students' stereotypical image of a…
Informal Math Coaching by Instant Messaging: Two Case Studies of How University Students Coach K-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hrastinski, Stefan; Edman, Anneli; Andersson, Fredrik; Kawnine, Tanvir; Soames, Carol-Ann

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe and explore how instant messaging (IM) can be used to support informal math coaching. We have studied two projects where university students use IM to coach K-12 students in mathematics. The coaches were interviewed with a focus on how informal coaching works by examining coaching challenges, how coaching can…
Assessing Student Teaching Experiences: Teacher Candidates' Perceptions of Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Joohi; Tice, Kathleen; Collins, Denise; Brown, Amber; Smith, Cleta; Fox, Jill

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of student teaching experiences by measuring teacher candidates' perceptions of their preparedness. The participants were 130 teacher candidates who had completed their student teaching as part of a program preparing them to teach children in pre-K through grade 4. Teacher candidates…
Climate Change Education Today in K-12: What's Happening in the Earth and Space Science Classroom?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzer, M. A.; National Earth Science Teachers Association

2011-12-01

Climate change is a highly interdisciplinary topic, involving not only multiple fields of science, but also social science and the humanities. There are many aspects of climate change science that make it particularly well-suited for exploration in the K-12 setting, including opportunities to explore the unifying processes of science such as complex systems, models, observations, change and evolution. Furthermore, this field of science offers the opportunity to observe the nature of science in action - including how scientists develop and improve their understanding through research and debate. Finally, climate change is inherently highly relevant to students - indeed, students today will need to deal with the consequences of the climate change. The science of climate change is clearly present in current science education standards, both at the National level as well as in the majority of states. Nonetheless, a significant number of teachers across the country report difficulties addressing climate change in the classroom. The National Earth Science Teachers Association has conducted several surveys of Earth and space science educators across the country over the past several years on a number of issues, including their needs and concerns, including their experience of external influences on what they teach. While the number of teachers that report external pressures to not teach climate change science are in the minority (and less than the pressure to not teach evolution and related topics), our results suggest that this pressure against climate change science in the K-12 classroom has grown over the past several years. Some teachers report being threatened by parents, being encouraged by administrators to not teach the subject, and a belief that the "two sides" of climate change should be taught. Survey results indicate that teachers in religious or politically-conservative districts are more likely to report difficulties in teaching about climate change than in
"Give Me a Break--English Is Not My First Language!": Experiences of Linguistically Diverse Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eros, John

2016-01-01

Today's K-12 music educators interact regularly with students from culturally diverse communities and backgrounds. Although research exists on culturally diverse students, there is comparatively little research on music teachers who do, themselves, represent diverse cultures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of three…
Cultural Brokers and Student Teachers: A Partnership We Need for Teacher Education in Urban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Paula J.

2017-01-01

Paula Lane, who has supervised student teachers at a university in the suburban wine country of northern California for the past 12 years, describes a field experience with a group of new student teachers in an urban school. Like the majority of teacher candidates in education programs, the pre-service teacher education students were White and…
K-12 Mathematics: What Should Students Learn and When Should They Learn It? Conference Highlights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum, 2007

2007-01-01

In the fall of 2006 several influential national groups (Achieve, American Statistical Association, College Board, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) developed and released documents that recommended curriculum standards or focal points for K-12 mathematics. The timing of the release of these documents provided a unique and…
Speak Up 2007 for Students, Teachers, Parents & School Leaders: Selected National Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Project Tomorrow, 2008

2008-01-01

Speak Up 2007 provided online surveys for K-12 students, teachers, parents (in English and Spanish) and for the first time, school leaders, defined as school principals, technology coordinators, district administrators and school board members. In addition to asking foundational questions about technology use, 21st century skills and schools of…
"Live from IPY"--Connecting Students, Teachers and the Public to Polar Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breen, K.; Warnick, W. K.; Warburton, J.; Fischer, K.; Wiggins, H.

2007-12-01

PolarTREC-Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating is a three-year (2007-2009) teacher professional development program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) that pairs K-12 teachers with researchers to improve science education through authentic polar research experiences. Each year of PolarTREC, approximately 15 teachers spend two to six weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working closely with researchers investigating a wide range of topics such as sea-ice dynamics, terrestrial ecology, marine biology, atmospheric chemistry, and long-term climate change. PolarTREC is funded by the National Science Foundation. While in the field, teachers and researchers communicate extensively with their colleagues, communities, and hundreds of students of all ages across the globe, using a variety of communication technologies and tools to appeal to broad student and public engagement in polar science. Through the PolarTREC website (www.polartrec.com) teachers connect from the field through the use of online journals and forums, photo galleries, podcasts, and learning resources. "Live from IPY," a key activity of PolarTREC, is a free, interactive, distance-learning experience that virtually transports students and the public to unique and remote polar locations through a live Internet interface. Rather than relying solely on the asynchronous elements of online journals, forums, photo albums, and podcasts, "Live from IPY" allows real-time interaction by adding elements including live voice, video, chat, application sharing, polling, and whiteboards, but requires only telephone and/or Internet access for participants and presenters to connect. "Live from IPY" and the online outreach elements of PolarTREC convey the excitement of polar research experiences to a broad audience far beyond the classrooms of the PolarTREC teachers, allowing anyone to join a global network of scientists, teachers, students, and communities and actively participate in the
ICT Student Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Nuray Parlak

2016-01-01

This study aimed to identify the difficulties that information technology student teachers have in teaching concepts. This qualitative study was carried out with 12 student teachers. The student teachers were fourth-year students enrolled in the Special Teaching Methods II course in the spring semester of the 2010-2011 academic year. The research…
Telling Your Story: Ocean Scientists in the K-12 Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McWilliams, H.

2006-12-01

Most scientists and engineers are accustomed to presenting their research to colleagues or lecturing college or graduate students. But if asked to speak in front of a classroom full of elementary school or junior high school students, many feel less comfortable. TERC, as part of its work with The Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence-New England (COSEE-NE) has designed a workshop to help ocean scientists and engineers develop skills for working with K-12 teachers and students. We call this program: Telling Your Story (TYS). TYS has been offered 4 times over 18 months for a total audience of approximately 50 ocean scientists. We will discuss the rationale for the program, the program outline, outcomes, and what we have learned. ne.net/edu_project_3/index.php
"It's worth our time": a model of culturally and linguistically supportive professional development for K-12 STEM educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charity Hudley, Anne H.; Mallinson, Christine

2017-09-01

Professional development on issues of language and culture is often separate from professional development on issues related to STEM education, resulting in linguistic and cultural gaps in K-12 STEM pedagogy and practice. To address this issue, we have designed a model of professional development in which we work with educators to build cultural and linguistic competence and to disseminate information about how educators view the relevance of language, communication, and culture to STEM teaching and learning. We describe the design and facilitation of our model of culturally and linguistically responsive professional development, grounded in theories of multicultural education and culturally supportive teaching, through professional development workshops to 60 K-12 STEM educators from schools in Maryland and Virginia that serve African American students. Participants noted that culturally and linguistically responsive approaches had yet to permeate their K-12 STEM settings, which they identified as a critical challenge to effectively teaching and engaging African-American students. Based on pre-surveys, workshops were tailored to participants' stated needs for information on literacy (e.g., disciplinary literacies and discipline-specific jargon), cultural conflict and mismatch (e.g., student-teacher miscommunication), and linguistic bias in student assessment (e.g., test design). Educators shared feedback via post-workshop surveys, and a subset of 28 participants completed in-depth interviews and a focus group. Results indicate the need for further implementation of professional development such as ours that address linguistic and cultural issues, tailored for K-12 STEM educators. Although participants in this study enumerated several challenges to meeting this need, they also identified opportunities for collaborative solutions that draw upon teacher expertise and are integrated with curricula across content areas.
Towards the Integration of Police Psychology Techniques Combined with the Socio-Ecological Psychology Model to Confront Juvenile Delinquency in K-12 Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Gary

2013-01-01

Dealing with students' behavioral problems is one of the most pressing concerns facing educators today, and teachers are feeling inadequately equipped to meet the challenge. The objective of this research was to better understand prevailing delinquency problems in K-12 classrooms, and how teachers address them. Although calls to improve school…
Teacher Research Programs = Increased Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2011-12-01

Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP), founded in 1990, is one of the largest, best known university professional development programs for science teachers in the U.S. For eight weeks in each of two consecutive summers, teachers participate as a member of a research team, led by a member of Columbia University's research faculty. In addition to the laboratory experience, all teachers meet weekly during the summer for a series of pedagogical activities to assist them in transferring the experience to their classrooms. The primary goal of the program is to provide K-12 science teachers with opportunities to work at the cutting edge of science and engineering, and thus to revitalize their teaching and help them to appreciate the use of inquiry-based methods in their classroom instruction. The secondary goals of the program are to give the pre-college teacher the ability to guide their students toward careers in science and engineering, to develop new teaching strategies, and to foster long-term scholarly collaborations. The last is especially important as it leads to a model of the teacher as active in science yet committed to the pre-college classroom. Since its inception, SRP has focused on an objective assessment of the program's impact on attitudes and instructional practices of participating teachers, on the performance of these teachers in their mentors' laboratories, and most importantly, on the impact of their participation in the program has on student interest and performance in science. Our research resulted in a paper published in the journal Science. SRP also facilitates a multi-site survey-based evaluation of other teacher research programs around the country. The author will present the findings of both studies.

NASA Lewis' IITA K-12 Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center's Information Infrastructure Technology and Applications for Kindergarten to 12th Grade (IITA K-12) Program is designed to introduce into school systems computing and communications technology that benefits math and science studies. By incorporating this technology into K-12 curriculums, we hope to increase the proficiency and interest in math and science subjects by K-12 students so that they continue to study technical subjects after their high school careers are over.
K-12 Neuroscience Education Outreach Program: Interactive Activities for Educating Students about Neuroscience

PubMed Central

Deal, Alex L.; Erickson, Kristen J.; Bilsky, Edward J.; Hillman, Susan J.; Burman, Michael A.

2014-01-01

The University of New England’s Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences has developed a successful and growing K-12 outreach program that incorporates undergraduate and graduate/professional students. The program has several goals, including raising awareness about fundamental issues in neuroscience, supplementing science education in area schools and enhancing undergraduate and graduate/professional students’ academic knowledge and skill set. The outreach curriculum is centered on core neuroscience themes including: Brain Safety, Neuroanatomy, Drugs of Abuse and Addiction, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, and Cognition and Brain Function. For each theme, lesson plans were developed based upon interactive, small-group activities. Additionally, we’ve organized our themes in a “Grow-up, Grow-out” approach. Grow-up refers to returning to a common theme, increasing in complexity as we revisit students from early elementary through high school. Grow-out refers to integrating other scientific fields into our lessons, such as the chemistry of addiction, the physics of brain injury and neuronal imaging. One of the more successful components of our program is our innovative team-based model of curriculum design. By creating a team of undergraduate, graduate/professional students and faculty, we create a unique multi-level mentoring opportunity that appears to be successful in enhancing undergraduate students’ skills and knowledge. Preliminary assessments suggest that undergraduates believe they are enhancing their content knowledge and professional skills through our program. Additionally, we’re having a significant, short-term impact on K-12 interest in science. Overall, our program appears to be enhancing the academic experience of our undergraduates and exciting K-12 students about the brain and science in general. PMID:25565921
Education for a Green and Resilient Economy: An Educator Framework for Teaching Climate and Energy Literacy for K-12 Teachers Across the Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niepold, F., III; Ledley, T. S.; Lockwood, J.; Youngman, E.; Manning, C. L. B.; Sullivan, S. M.

2015-12-01

The U.S. is embarking on a major transition to a green and resilient economy, a monumental change requiring all sectors and segments of the population to pull together. Transforming our nation's economic, energy, and environmental systems to in this way will require a sustained level of expertise, innovation, and cooperative effort unseen since the 1940s to meet the challenges involved. Education can - and must - help people understand the true connections, the linkages and interdependencies, between the environment, our energy sources and the economy which underpin and form the very foundation of the concept of a green and resilient economy. To produce such a literate future workforce and citizenry, the United States will need to make major new investments in our educational systems. Teachers across the nation are helping to increase science-based understanding and awareness of current and future climate change, enhancing climate and energy literacy in K-12 classrooms, on college and university campuses. There has been tremendous progress to date, but there is still more work to be done. The new academic standards in mathematics and science (the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)) represent a sea change from the nation's previous sets of standards. Addressing these standards in the currently over 40 percent of the nation's classrooms that have adopted or adapted the NGSS will demand that we prepare new and current teachers, who can effectively address the interdisciplinary nature of climate change and societal responses. To address this opportunity and need a collaboration between NOAA, TERC and CIRES has been established to develop an Educator Framework for Teaching Climate and Energy Literacy for K-12 teachers across the curriculum based on the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. This collaboration is developing an effective way to frame the use of
Virtual Schooling...A Closer Look from the inside of an Indiana Charter Virtual School Examining the Teachers' Perceptions of the Characteristics of Its Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturgeon, David Brian

2013-01-01

The focus of this research is in the area of virtual schooling at the K-12 level, specifically looking into teachers' perceptions of important traits of teacher effectiveness and student progress in this online learning environment. Such a study is important in Indiana, as this is the first time in public school history when there is now a new…
Student, teacher, and classroom predictors of between-teacher variance of students' teacher-rated behavior.

PubMed

Splett, Joni W; Smith-Millman, Marissa; Raborn, Anthony; Brann, Kristy L; Flaspohler, Paul D; Maras, Melissa A

2018-03-08

The current study examined between-teacher variance in teacher ratings of student behavioral and emotional risk to identify student, teacher and classroom characteristics that predict such differences and can be considered in future research and practice. Data were taken from seven elementary schools in one school district implementing universal screening, including 1,241 students rated by 68 teachers. Students were mostly African America (68.5%) with equal gender (female 50.1%) and grade-level distributions. Teachers, mostly White (76.5%) and female (89.7%), completed both a background survey regarding their professional experiences and demographic characteristics and the Behavior Assessment System for Children (Second Edition) Behavioral and Emotional Screening System-Teacher Form for all students in their class, rating an average of 17.69 students each. Extant student data were provided by the district. Analyses followed multilevel linear model stepwise model-building procedures. We detected a significant amount of variance in teachers' ratings of students' behavioral and emotional risk at both student and teacher/classroom levels with student predictors explaining about 39% of student-level variance and teacher/classroom predictors explaining about 20% of between-teacher differences. The final model fit the data (Akaike information criterion = 8,687.709; pseudo-R2 = 0.544) significantly better than the null model (Akaike information criterion = 9,457.160). Significant predictors included student gender, race ethnicity, academic performance and disciplinary incidents, teacher gender, student-teacher gender interaction, teacher professional development in behavior screening, and classroom academic performance. Future research and practice should interpret teacher-rated universal screening of students' behavioral and emotional risk with consideration of the between-teacher variance unrelated to student behavior detected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all
Teachers Guide to Economic Concepts: Grade 10-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCabe, Milo F.

This grades 10-12 teachers guide is one of five resource guides developed to aid teachers in helping students in South Dakota to achieve a high degree of economic literacy. It is felt that schools must prepare students at all grade levels to develop an understanding of the economy in which they live. This guide was specifically prepared to assist…
Under the Scope: Bringing Zooplankton Research into the K-12 Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, J.; Petrone, C.; Wickline, A.

2016-02-01

Despite their small size, zooplankton are dynamic and engaging animals when viewed by researchers, teachers, and students alike. Recognizing this, we are working with K-12 teachers to develop web-based resources for using zooplankton in the classroom. This outreach effort is part of a Delaware Sea Grant-funded research project studying seasonal dynamics of zooplankton in Delaware Bay. The research team, in collaboration with a marine education specialist, initially created a website (www.underthescope.udel.edu) containing: background information on zooplankton and the research project, a magnification tool, an identification tool, and education modules that facilitate directed use of the website content and tools. Local teachers (elementary through high school) were then hosted for a workshop to engage in zooplankton sampling using methods employed in the research project, including zooplankton tows and semi-autonomous identification using a ZooScan imaging system. Teachers then explored the website, evaluating its design, content, and usability for their particular grade level. Specific suggestions from the evaluation were incorporated into the website, with additional implementation planned over the next year. This teacher- researcher partnership was successful in developing the digital resource itself, in building excitement and capacity among a cohort of teachers, and in establishing relationships among teachers and researchers to facilitate adding new dimensions to the collaboration. The latter will include zooplankton sampling by school groups, researcher optical scanning of samples with ZooScan, and subsequent student analysis and reporting on their data.
Small Schools Student Learning Objectives, K-8: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics. K-3; Science, Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Developed by 40 primary teachers and 10 elementary principals from small school districts in Washington, this handbook contains sequenced student learning objectives for grades K-3 in science and social studies and for grades K-8 in reading, language arts, and mathematics. The handbook is designed to assist teachers with the improvement of…
Student Trust in Teachers and Student Perceptions of Safety: Positive Predictors of Student Identification with School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Roxanne M.; Kensler, Lisa; Tschannen-Moran, Megan

2018-01-01

This study examined the effects of student trust in teacher and student perceptions of safety on identification with school. Data were collected from one large urban district in an eastern state. Participants included 5441 students in 3rd through 12th grades from 49 schools. Students responded to surveys that assessed student trust in teachers,…
The University Scientist's Role in Promoting Collaborative K-12 Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, D.; Brown, L. L.; Carlsen, W. S.

2004-12-01

Comprehensive K-12 science teacher professional development is dependent upon the successful interaction between the university and K-12 communities (National Research Council, 2001), which can be realized through partnerships between university scientists and K-12 science teachers. This paper will identify some best practices of university scientists in the professional development of science teachers, first by citing the professional development and science education literature (Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1998; National Research Council, 1996a, 1996b), and then by highlighting how these best practices were actualized in summer workshops for science educators offered at Penn State. Each summer the Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports seven one-week courses for secondary science teachers taught by university scientists from disciplines representative of NASA's research interests. Approximately 100 teachers enroll in these two-credit, graduate-level workshops from a variety of locations and contexts throughout the United States. These summer courses share a number of important features (duration, general format, teacher recruitment and admission, location, number of participants, etc.), making them a unique dataset for comparative research on science teacher professional development. By recognizing the role of university scientists relating to both practice and standards of professional development, we identify areas in which teachers could be empowered to lead and, alternatively, where scientists and administrators should improve and continue to direct-- both supporting a culture of collaboration that builds K-12 science teacher capacity (Fullan, 2001, 2003; Hawley & Valli, 1999). In our observations and analysis of the evaluations, three best practices, as defined by the literature, appeared to distinguish the exceptional workshops: First, teachers give high marks and make affirmative comments about workshops with clearly presented curricular
The good student is more than a listener - The 12+1 roles of the medical student.

PubMed

Karakitsiou, D E; Markou, A; Kyriakou, P; Pieri, M; Abuaita, M; Bourousis, E; Hido, T; Tsatsaragkou, A; Boukali, A; de Burbure, C; Dimoliatis, I D K

2012-01-01

The process of medical education, particularly in the fast evolving new era of medical metaschools, is a broad and complex issue. Harden & Crosby claimed that a good teacher is more than a lecturer, and identified 12 roles that certify a good and capable teacher. However, this is only half the truth: the good student is more than a listener. Teaching-and-learning is not simply a one-way process, and, as medical students are not children, the relationship between teacher and students involves andragogy rather than pedagogy. We therefore propose the 12+1 roles of the student. SUMMARY OF WORK: The Harden & Crosby paper was distributed in a class of 90 third year Ioannina University medical students, who were asked to think about the student's roles. A small discussion group brainstormed ideas, which were then refined further by the authors. 12+1 roles of the good medical student were produced and grouped into six areas: information receiver, in lectures and clinical context; role model in learning, in class, with the added subarea of comparative choice of role models; teaching facilitator and teacher's mentor; teacher's assessor and curriculum evaluator; active participator and keeping-up with curriculum; resource consumer/co-creator and medical literature researcher. The ideal student should fulfil the majority if not all of these complementary roles. These 12+1 student's roles are complementary to the 12 roles of the teacher and help reshaping our understanding of today's medical education process.
Females and STEM: Determining the K-12 Experiences that Influenced Women to Pursue STEM Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, Anne Marie

In the United States, careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are increasing yet there are not enough trained personnel to meet this demand. In addition, of those that seek to pursue STEM fields in the United States, only 26% are female. In order to increase the number of women seeking STEM based bachelor's degrees, K-12 education must provide a foundation that prepares students for entry into these fields. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine the perceived K-12 experiences that influenced females to pursue a STEM field. Twelve college juniors or seniors seeking a degree in Biology, Mathematics, or Physics were interviewed concerning their K-12 experiences. These interviews were analyzed and six themes emerged. Teacher passion and classroom characteristics such as incorporating challenging activities played a significant role in the females' decisions to enter STEM fields. Extra-curricular activities such as volunteer and mentor opportunities and the females' need to benefit others also influenced females in their career choice. Both the formal (within the school) and informal (outside of the traditional classroom) pipeline opportunities that these students encountered helped develop a sense of self-efficacy in science and mathematics; this self-efficacy enabled them to persist in pursuing these career fields. Several participants cited barriers that they encountered in K-12 education, but these barriers were primarily internal as they struggled with overcoming self-imposed obstacles in learning and being competitive in the mathematics and science classrooms. The experiences from these female students can be used by K-12 educators to prepare and encourage current female students to enter STEM occupations.
Author Reply to K12 Inc. Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Education Policy Center, 2012

2012-01-01

K12 Inc. enrolls more public school students than any other private education management organization in the U.S. Much has been written about K12 Inc. (referred to in this report simply as "K12") by financial analysts and investigative journalists because it is a large, publicly traded company and is the dominant player in the operation…
OER Quality and Adaptation in K-12: Comparing Teacher Evaluations of Copyright-Restricted, Open, and Open/Adapted Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmons, Royce

2015-01-01

Conducted in conjunction with an institute on open textbook adaptation, this study compares textbook evaluations from practicing K-12 classroom teachers (n = 30) on three different types of textbooks utilized in their contexts: copyright-restricted, open, and open/adapted. Copyright-restricted textbooks consisted of those textbooks already in use…
Environmental Education and K-12 Student Outcomes: A Review and Analysis of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ardoin, Nicole M.; Bowers, Alison W.; Roth, Noelle Wyman; Holthuis, Nicole

2018-01-01

Many practitioners and researchers describe academic and environmental benefits of environmental education for kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) students. To consider the empirical underpinnings of those program descriptions, we systematically analyzed the peer-reviewed literature (1994-2013), focusing on outcomes of environmental…
UPSeis - Visiting Seismographs for K-12 Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, S. R.; Len, S.; Pennington, W. D.

2004-12-01

Upper Peninsula Seismic Experiments in Schools (UPSeis) is an educational program developed to engage K-12 students in hands-on activities learning about earthquakes and Earth science. The system is intended to enhance teaching earth sciences to students, typically using teleseismic and regional earthquakes recorded directly in the classroom. This seismograph is computer-based and self-contained, requiring no hook-ups to the Internet or to advanced timing devices. It is easy to operate and relatively inexpensive to purchase. The UPSeis curriculum is designed so that a seismograph operates in a classroom for two or three months at a time, allowing the recording of at least 2 to 3 very large earthquakes somewhere in the world. The system comes with classroom activities, which are broken into several units, such as 'Seismic Waves', 'The UPSeis Technique' and 'Earthquake Hazards'. Within each unit, activities are rated for the appropriate grade level. All of the units have also been correlated to the Michigan Content Standards, and are easily adaptable to other state educational content standards as well. Our intention is to assist teachers and volunteers with bringing earth science into the classroom, by making it easier to obtain and operate seismographs. Ideally, a sponsor (University or Company) will pay for a system and any related costs. We further plan to train volunteers at conferences and meetings (such as AGU or SEG) in order to train them on a system and provide them with the knowledge required to assist teachers in the classroom. The volunteer would be available to come into the school and work with the teacher and students on some of the activities, particularly after they have recorded an earthquake. In addition, the volunteer would rotate their system between local area schools every 2 or 3 months. This allows teachers to use the system for a few months without the concern for maintenance of a permanent system. For schools interested in having a
NASA-OAI HPCCP K-12 Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The NASA-OAI High Performance Communication and Computing K- 12 School Partnership program has been completed. Cleveland School of the Arts, Empire Computech Center, Grafton Local Schools and the Bug O Nay Ge Shig School have all received network equipment and connections. Each school is working toward integrating computer and communications technology into their classroom curriculum. Cleveland School of the Arts students are creating computer software. Empire Computech Center is a magnet school for technology education at the elementary school level. Grafton Local schools is located in a rural community and is using communications technology to bring to their students some of the same benefits students from suburban and urban areas receive. The Bug O Nay Ge Shig School is located on an Indian Reservation in Cass Lake, MN. The students at this school are using the computer to help them with geological studies. A grant has been issued to the friends of the Nashville Library. Nashville is a small township in Holmes County, Ohio. A community organization has been formed to turn their library into a state of the art Media Center. Their goal is to have a place where rural students can learn about different career options and how to go about pursuing those careers. Taylor High School in Cincinnati, Ohio was added to the schools involved in the Wind Tunnel Project. A mini grant has been awarded to Taylor High School for computer equipment. The computer equipment is utilized in the school's geometry class to computationally design objects which will be tested for their aerodynamic properties in the Barberton Wind Tunnel. The students who create the models can view the test in the wind tunnel via desk top conferencing. Two teachers received stipends for helping with the Regional Summer Computer Workshop. Both teachers were brought in to teach a session within the workshop. They were selected to teach the session based on their expertise in particular software applications.
Teacher Student Control Ideology and Burnout: Their Correlation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bas, Gokhan

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation between elementary teachers' student control ideologies and their perceived burnout levels and to determine to what extent teachers' student control ideologies predict their burnout. Three hundred and seventy-six teachers from 12 elementary schools in Nigde, Turkey participated in the study.…
Astrophysics for Early Elementary Students and Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, R.

2004-12-01

How can very young students be taught astrophysics? What can we offer to teachers of K-4 students? Whether you deal directly with youngsters in classrooms, work with your School of Education to develop science inquiry training, or offer occasional general outreach, we discuss activities your program can adopt from the University of Oregon's Electronic Universe outreach program. This collaboration through NASA's Oregon Space Grant plus citizen amateur astronomers has been successfully delivering astrophysics to students in all grades throughout Oregon for over a decade. Students in grades K-4 are generally very enthusiastic learners who have a lot of interest in content and technology about space. Unfortunately typical curricula, state learning requirements, and typical training of their teachers is usually very simplistic and often contains erroneous and outdated materials. We'll work through a series of explorations designed for elementary level that use digital data and virtual reality simulations in conjunction with kinesthetic activities to connect observations such as brightness, shadows, motions, shapes, and colors to basic physical characteristics and properties. This is the starting place where we can grab already curious students and inspire teachers, particularly new teachers, to use space science content to develop science inquiry based curricula. Young students and their teachers can handle astrophysics if the topics are presented in familiar terms and with use of sufficient first hand modeling. Don't be afraid to start them early on these topics, this could dispel myths, generate future interest, and promote careers in science.
Effects of Mobile Devices on K-12 Students' Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tingir, S.; Cavlazoglu, B.; Caliskan, O.; Koklu, O.; Intepe-Tingir, S.

2017-01-01

In this meta-analytic study, we investigated the effects of mobile devices on student achievement in science, mathematics and reading in grades K-12. Based on our inclusion criteria, we searched the ERIC and PsycINFO databases and identified 14 peer-reviewed research articles published between 2010 and 2014. We identified the device type, subject…

Connected Education: Teachers' Attitudes towards Student Learning in a 1:1 Technology Middle School Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luo, Tian; Murray, Alexander

2018-01-01

Online and blended forms of learning has been increasingly common in K-12 settings, along with the technological advancement with always-on and connected devices. The study purports to understand teachers' attitudes towards the middle school's one-laptop-per-student (1:1) policy and students' frequent use of always-on and connected technology, as…
"Flipping" educational technology professional development for K-12 educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spencer, Daniel

As the demand for more effective professional development increases in K-12 schools, trainers must adjust their training methods to meet the needs of their teacher learners. Just as lecture-heavy, teacher-centered instruction only meet the learning needs of a small minority of students, "sit and get" professional development rarely results in the teachers gaining the skills and confidence necessary to use technology effectively in their instruction. To resolve the frustrations of teachers related to ineffective professional development, a "Flipped PD" training model was developed based on the learning needs of adult learners, the integration of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK), learning activities, and the Flipped Classroom concept. Under this model, training shifts from a passive, trainer-centered format, to an active, learner-centered format where teachers learn to use technology in their classrooms by first focusing on pedagogical issues, then choosing the options that work best for addressing those issues in their unique situation, and completing "learn-by-doing" projects. Those who participate in "Flipped PD" style trainings tend to have more confidence upon completion that they can use the tools they were trained on in their teaching, as well as believe that the PD was engaging and a good use of their time.
K-12 Aerospace Education Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

NASA, the United States Air Force Academy, the Air Force Space Command, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS), and the United States Space Foundation teamed to produce a dynamic and successful graduate course and in-service program for K-12 educators that has a positive impact on education trends across the nation. Since 1986, more than 10,000 educators from across the United States have participated in Space Discovery and Teaching with Space affecting nearly a million students in grades K-12. The programs are designed to prepare educators to use the excitement of space to motivate students in all curriculum subjects.
Integrating Literacy and Math: Strategies for K-6 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogelberg, Ellen; Skalinder, Carole; Satz, Patti; Hiller, Barbara; Bernstein, Lisa; Vitantonio, Sandra

2008-01-01

Many K-6 teachers and students still think of mathematics as a totally separate subject from literacy. Yet incorporating math content into the language arts block helps students gain skills for reading many kinds of texts. Bringing reading, writing, and talking into the math classroom supports the development of conceptual knowledge and problem…
Student-teacher education programme (STEP) by step: transforming medical students into competent, confident teachers.

PubMed

Erlich, Deborah R; Shaughnessy, Allen F

2014-04-01

While most medical schools have students teach other students, few offer formal education in teaching skills, and fewer provide teaching theory together with experiential teaching practice. Furthermore, curriculum evaluation of teaching education is lacking. This study aimed to examine effects of a novel didactic teaching curriculum for students embedded in a practical teaching experience. A longitudinal 12-week curriculum with complementary didactic and practical components for final-year students learning how to teach was developed, implemented and evaluated using a multi-level evaluation based on the Kirkpatrick approach with qualitative and quantitative methods. Thirteen student-teachers acquired measureable knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for teaching excellence. Confidence in teaching increased (p < 0.001), particularly in four key areas: oral feedback, written feedback, mentoring, and the difficult learner. Student-teachers demonstrated teaching competence as determined by self-assessment, student feedback, and faculty observation. Top teachers impacted their first-year students' performance in patient interviewing as measured by Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Reinforcing educational theory with practical teaching experience under direct faculty supervision promotes teaching competency for graduating medical students. The intertwined didactic plus practical model can be applied to various teaching contexts to fulfil the mandate that medical schools train graduates in core teaching knowledge, skills and attitudes in preparation for their future roles as clinical teachers.
Successes of a new NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET): Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation (WE2NG) Empowers K-12 Educators to Train Our Future Scientists to Solve Critical STEM Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaine, A. C.; Martin, A. C.; Hogue, T. S.

2016-12-01

Colorado School of Mines (CSM) recently kicked-off a three year K-12 teacher training program with an inaugural six-week summer Research Experience for Teachers (RET). The WE2NG, or Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation program, hosted nine Colorado public school teachers, giving them content and tools to enhance curricula and STEM topics in the classroom. WE2NG is an NSF (National Science Foundation) RET program that seeks to advance public knowledge and dialogue on the water-energy nexus through integration of teachers, and ultimately their students, by infusing standards-based, active-learning lessons with cutting-edge research in the water-energy nexus. The teachers' experience begins with a six week summer program at CSM that consists of different activities collectively integrated to give participants a holistic understanding of STEM research from inception to actualization. Three days a week, the participants focus on integration into a mentor faculty's research projects concerning water and/or energy. During the other two days, participants benefit from research presentations and lab tours from participating faculty, technical workshops on interdisciplinary topics, interaction with industry via field trips and speakers, and professional collaborative STEM curriculum development training. However, the teachers' experience does not end with the summer program; WE2NG also establishes long-term collaborative relationships with the summer participants by providing classroom support throughout the academic year. Graduate and undergraduate students from CSM Centers on campus are paired with the teachers to provide significant, sustained support and act as liaisons throughout the academic year. This presentation will highlight successes and lessons learned during the first year of the program, including a summary of how collaboration between K-12 teachers, Mines faculty and industry leaders can radically impact STEM education in Colorado.
K-12 Louisiana Student Standards for Mathematics. Louisiana Student Standards: Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louisiana Department of Education, 2016

2016-01-01

The Louisiana mathematics standards were created by over one hundred Louisiana educators with input by thousands of parents and teachers from across the state. Educators envisioned what mathematically proficient students should know and be able to do to compete in society and focused their efforts on creating standards that would allow them to do…
Technology Adoption in K-12 Education: A Qualitative Study Using TAM3 to Explore Why Technology Is Underutilized

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosley, Victoria V. W.

2012-01-01

Educators, researchers, and the government speculate that technology can reform education and contribute to increased student learning. Despite extensive efforts to equip the K-12 schools with technology, the challenge is more than just getting technology into classrooms; it is getting teachers to use the technologies. The goal of this…
The Full Circle: Building a Coherent Teacher Preparation System. The Report of the NASBE Study Group on Coordination and Accountability in Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Boards of Education, Alexandria, VA.

Research shows that teacher quality may be one of the most significant factors in student achievement. This report includes five chapters that focus on: (1) "Introduction and Executive Summary"; (2) "Coordinating K-12 and Higher Education to Support High-Quality Teacher Preparation" (e.g., coordinating teacher candidate experience in K-12 and…
Building Student-Centered Web Sites in the K12 Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Alison; Basile, Brigitte

This paper examines the process of constructing a student-centered World Wide Web site and provides recommendations for improving this process. In the project, preservice teachers instructed the fifth grade students about how to design and develop a Web site on weather. The topics of the sessions included Internet ethics, using the Web,…
Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education: STEM Graduate Students Bring Current Research into 7th-12th Grade Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radencic, S.; Dawkins, K. S.; Jackson, B. S.; Walker, R. M.; Schmitz, D.; Pierce, D.; Funderburk, W. K.; McNeal, K.

2014-12-01

Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE), a NSF Graduate K-12 (GK-12) program at Mississippi State University, pairs STEM graduate students with local K-12 teachers to bring new inquiry and technology experiences to the classroom (www.gk12.msstate.edu). The graduate fellows prepare lessons for the students incorporating different facets of their research. The lessons vary in degree of difficulty according to the content covered in the classroom and the grade level of the students. The focus of each lesson is directed toward the individual research of the STEM graduate student using inquiry based designed activities. Scientific instruments that are used in STEM research (e.g. SkyMaster weather stations, GPS, portable SEM, Inclinometer, Soil Moisture Probe, Google Earth, ArcGIS Explorer) are also utilized by K-12 students in the activities developed by the graduate students. Creativity and problem solving skills are sparked by curiosity which leads to the discovery of new information. The graduate students work to enhance their ability to effectively communicate their research to members of society through the creation of research linked classroom activities, enabling the 7-12th grade students to connect basic processes used in STEM research with the required state and national science standards. The graduate students become respected role models for the high school students because of their STEM knowledge base and their passion for their research. Sharing enthusiasm for their chosen STEM field, as well as the application techniques to discover new ideas, the graduate students stimulate the interests of the classroom students and model authentic science process skills while highlighting the relevance of STEM research to K-12 student lives. The measurement of the student attitudes about science is gathered from pre and post interest surveys for the past four years. This partnership allows students, teachers, graduate students, and the public to
Integrating the New Generation Science Standards (NGSS) into K- 6 teacher training and curricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinter, S.; Carlson, S. J.

2017-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards is an initiative, adopted by 26 states, to set national education standards that are "rich in content and practice, arranged in a coherent manner across disciplines and grades to provide all students an internationally benchmarked science education." Educators now must integrate these standards into existing curricula. Many grade-school (K-6) teachers face a particularly daunting task, as they were traditionally not required to teach science or only at a rudimentary level. The majority of K-6 teachers enter teaching from non-science disciplines, making this transition even more difficult. Since the NGSS emphasizes integrated and coherent progression of knowledge from grade to grade, prospective K-6 teachers must be able to deliver science with confidence and enthusiasm to their students. CalTeach/MAST (Mathematics and Science Teaching Program) at the University of California Davis, has created a two-quarter sequence of integrated science courses for undergraduate students majoring in non-STEM disciplines and intending to pursue multiple-subject K-6 credentials. The UCD integrated science course provides future primary school teachers with a basic, but comprehensive background in the physical and earth/space sciences. Key tools are taught for improving teaching methods, investigating complex science ideas, and solving problems relevant to students' life experiences that require scientific or technological knowledge. This approach allows prospective K-6 teachers to explore more effectively the connections between the disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and scientific and engineering practices, as outlined in the NGSS. In addition, they develop a core set of science teaching skills based on inquiry activities and guided lab discussions. With this course, we deliver a solid science background to prospective K-6 teachers and facilitate their ability to teach science following the standards as articulated in the NGSS.
Earth Science Content Guidelines Grades K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Geological Inst., Alexandria, VA.

Teams of teachers, other science educators, and scientists selected from a national search for project writers have proposed using the following set of questions to guide the inclusion of earth science content into the kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum. The Essential Questions are organized in a K-12 sequence by six content areas: (1) Solid…
Implementing the Three Block Model of Universal Design for Learning: Effects on Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Stress, and Job Satisfaction in Inclusive Classrooms K-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Fifty-eight teachers of grades 1-12 in 10 schools located in two rural and three urban school divisions in Manitoba were involved in a study implementing the Three Block Model of Universal Design for Learning and exploring its outcomes for teachers and students. This article reports teachers' perceptions related to the outcomes of the…
An Analysis of K-12 Teachers' Conceptions of Agriculture Prior to and during Engagement in an Agricultural Literacy Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Shawn M.; Velez, Jonathan J.; Thompson, Gregory W.

2014-01-01

This study examined the K-12 teachers' conceptions of the agriculture industry prior to enrolling in an agricultural literacy program and how their conceptions changed throughout the program. The study used qualitative methods to analyze the data collected from entrance questionnaires, interviews, and reflective journals. Trustworthiness was…
Preparing University Students to Lead K-12 Engineering Outreach Programmes: A Design Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, Anika B.; Greene, Howard; Post, Paul E.; Parkhurst, Andrew; Zhan, Xi

2016-01-01

This paper describes an engineering outreach programme designed to increase the interest of under-represented youth in engineering and to disseminate pre-engineering design challenge materials to K-12 educators and volunteers. Given university students' critical role as facilitators of the outreach programme, researchers conducted a two-year…
Assessing the Assessments of Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brabeck, Mary M.; Dwyer, Carol Anne; Geisinger, Kurt F.; Marx, Ronald W.; Noell, George H.; Pianta, Robert C.; Subotnik, Rena F.; Worrell, Frank C.

2016-01-01

Teacher preparation programs have both a desire and a responsibility to demonstrate, with affirmative evidence, that teacher education makes a difference in PreK-12 student learning. Program faculty need good data to make decisions about the progress of students, whom to recommend for state licensure, and how to improve teacher education. This…
Retention in Art Teacher Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Even, Robert

1988-01-01

Discusses the demand for K-12 art teachers, the college admission criteria for art teacher education, and whether the best students are those who graduate and enter the field as teachers. Describes the qualities that characterize the best students, stating that talent and love of subject are important teaching success indicators. (GEA)
An Examination of Dropout Rates for Hispanic or Latino Students Enrolled in Online K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corry, Michael; Dardick, William; Stella, Julie

2017-01-01

As the number of online K-12 educational offerings continues to grow it is important to better understand key indicators of success for students enrolled in these classes. One of those indicators is student dropout rates. This is particularly important for Hispanic or Latino students who traditionally have high dropout rates. The purpose of this…
Teacher Stress Related to Student Mental Health Promotion: The Match between Perceived Demands and Competence to Help Students with Mental Health Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekornes, Stine

2017-01-01

The present study highlights teacher stress related to student mental health promotion through the relationship between perceived competence, perceived responsibility and negative emotions. Data were derived from a mixed methods design, utilizing three focus group interviews (n = 15), followed by survey research (n = 771) amongst Norwegian K-12…

ASPIRE: Teachers and researchers working together to enhance student learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yager, P. L.; Garay, D. L.; Warburton, J.

2016-02-01

Given the impact of human activities on the ocean, involving teachers, students, and their families in scientific inquiry has never been more important. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines have become key focus areas in the education community of the United States. Newly adopted across the nation, Next Generation Science Standards require that educators embrace innovative approaches to teaching. Transforming classrooms to actively engage students through a combination of knowledge and practice develops conceptual understanding and application skills. The partnerships between researchers and educators during the Amundsen Sea Polynya International Research Expedition (ASPIRE) offer an example of how academic research can enhance K-12 student learning. In this presentation, we illustrate how ASPIRE teacher-scientist partnerships helped engage students with actual and virtual authentic scientific investigations. Scientists benefit from teacher/researcher collaborations as well, as funding for scientific research also depends on effective communication between scientists and the public. While contributing to broader impacts needed to justify federal funding, scientists also benefit by having their research explained in ways that the broader public can understand: collaborations with teachers produce classroom lessons and published work that generate interest in the scientists' research specifically and in marine science in general. Researchers can also learn from their education partners about more effective teaching strategies that can be transferred to the college level. Researchers who work with teachers in turn gain perspectives on the constraints that teachers and students face in the pre-college classroom. Crosscutting concepts of research in polar marine science can serve as intellectual tools to connect important ideas about ocean and climate science for the public good.
Students' and teachers' cognitions about good teachers.

PubMed

Beishuizen, J J; Hof, E; van Putten, C M; Bouwmeester, S; Asscher, J J

2001-06-01

Good teachers have been studied ever since Plato described how Socrates taught by asking questions of his audience. Recent findings shed light on two characteristics of good teachers: their personality and their ability. However, more attention has been paid to teachers' practices and opinions than to students' views. The study reported here attempted to deepen our understanding of what students think about good teachers. Students of four age groups (7, 10, 13, and 16 years of age) and teachers from primary and secondary schools were asked to write an essay on the good teacher. The correspondence between conceptual items in the essays was investigated by determining the extent to which they were used in the same essays to describe good teachers. Correspondence analysis revealed two dimensions. The first dimension reflected the preference of students and teachers for describing the good teacher in terms of either personality or ability characteristics. The second dimension was interpreted as an orientation in the essays towards either attachment to, detachment from or commitment to school and teachers. Students and teachers were compared to establish the amount of (dis)agreement about what makes a good teacher. Primary school students described good teachers primarily as competent instructors, focusing on transfer of knowledge and skills, whereas secondary school students emphasised relational aspects of good teachers. Teachers, however, considered good teachers in the first place a matter of establishing personal relationships with their students. Consequently, primary school students and teachers disagreed about the characteristics of good teachers. In secondary education, disagreements between teachers and students were relatively small. The research method of collecting free essays and utilising correspondence analysis to represent conceptual items and groups of participants seems promising as long as a theoretical framework is available to interpret the
simUfish: An Interactive Application to Teach K-12 Students About Zebrafish Behavior.

PubMed

Mwaffo, Violet; Korneyeva, Veronika; Porfiri, Maurizio

2017-10-01

As the zebrafish is rapidly becoming a species of choice in preclinical research, several efforts are being placed toward creating educational programs for K-12 students based on this promising model organism. However, as any other model organisms, the use of zebrafish in classroom settings requires additional experimental resources and poses ethical challenges related to animal use. To mitigate these factors, we have developed an application (app), simUfish, which implements a mathematical model of zebrafish behavior for generating multiple fish trajectories and animating their body undulations. simUfish is developed using a multiplatform game engine and is expected to promote the knowledge of zebrafish behavior to both K-12 students and the general public. Specifically, it demonstrates basic principles of fish individual and social behaviors, including environment interaction; fear response toward a predator; shoaling; and attraction toward a stimulus, which can be a food source or simply a finger placed on the touch screen. The effectiveness of the app as an accessible experimental tool for learning was tested in an outreach activity on middle school students from the New York City school system. The results from this activity show an immediate, tangible improvement of students' satisfaction and willingness to learn about key concepts on zebrafish behavior, accompanied by high level of interest in life sciences.
What K-12 Leaders Can Learn from Accreditation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stader, David L.; Munoz, Ava J.; Rowett, Charles

2009-01-01

Community college Quality Enhancement Plans (QEPs) typically focus on improving student outcomes. QEPs are in many ways analogous to the campus improvement plans (CIPs) that have become standard practice for virtually all K-12 schools. K-12 campus and district leaders often seek school improvement ideas from other K-12 districts. However, much can…
A Model for Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Alaska's Rural K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Barbara L.; Woods, Ashley

2015-01-01

The Alaska Statewide Mentor Project (ASMP) is a joint effort of the University of Alaska and the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development to address the persistently low teacher retention rates in the state, especially in rural districts that predominantly serve Alaska Native (AN) students. Over six years, teacher retention in rural…
Language Arts Program Guide, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawaii State Dept. of Education, Honolulu. Office of Instructional Services.

Intended for use by administrators, teachers, and district and state personnel, this guide provides a framework for Hawaii's kindergarten through grade 12 language arts program. Various sections of the guide contain (1) a statement of beliefs concerning the nature of language, language and learning, the student, and the school climate; (2) program…
Explorations in K-12 Education and Public Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limaye, S. S.; Pertzborn, R. A.; Sromovsky, L. A.

1997-07-01

Space exploration remains a topic of immense interest and excitement for children and the general public. A diverse approach has been utilized at the Space Science and Engineering Center to initiate outreach and K-12 education activities. The hands-on experience gained through a working relationships with educators has been useful in understanding the challenges, usefulness and limitations of scientists' involvement in the education process. Our efforts have included school visits, development of lesson plans (KidSat), internet based activities (Planet Exploration Toolkit for Live from Mars, a Passport to Knowledge Project), World Wide Web, Public Lectures, summer teacher enhancement workshops, internships, and substitute teaching in science classes. The feedback and comments from teachers and students has demonstrated the usefulness and need for these efforts. The experience has also demonstrated that a committed effort in outreach is ultimately satisfying although immensely time consuming. Our outreach efforts have been partially supported by a NASA/IDEA grant, Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, NOAA and more recently, the Evjue Foundation (Madison-Wisconsin).
School Psychologists' Experiences with Teacher-to-Student Mistreatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyles, Sharon R. Brown

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental, phenomenological study was to describe school psychologists' experiences with teacher-to-student mistreatment in the Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 educational setting. There are few United States studies presented in the literature on the topic of teacher-to-student mistreatment and its…
Motivating teacher and student engagement with the environment through renewable energy education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Nirav Sanat

Environmental and energy education is focused on fostering environmental behavior. This study investigates empirically if education leads to changes in environmental attitudes and subsequent environmentally significant behavior (ESB). The study contextualizes teachers' and students' motivation to engage in ESB within an environmental educational training framework. The results of structured questionnaires administered in Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwestern K-12 schools (n=214 for teachers and n=1498 for students) reveal that environmental attitudes are not a good predictor of teaching behavior but they do predict students' intent towards ESB. Teachers' energy attitudes are a better predictor in motivating them to teach while students are most responsive to their affective attitudes. The study finds that education does not play a significant role in changing environmental or energy attitudes of teachers and students. The study also advances a methodological tool for data collection that can expand the reach of evaluation instruments and measure learning across formal and informal audiences. It highlights how interactional technology can be readily utilized for future research and outreach in classrooms, nature learning centers, professional training programs, and museums. Overall, the work advances social-psychological understanding of how adults and youth respond to educational programming. It highlights the need to go beyond the cognitive shifts in affecting behavior. Curriculum based on environment might be necessary but is often not sufficient for changing environmental values. Finally, information and knowledge acquired must motivate the teachers' and students' desire and ability to conscientiously act, wherever necessary.
Scientists Involved in K-12 Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robigou, V.

2004-12-01

The publication of countless reports documenting the dismal state of science education in the 1980s, and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) report (1996) called for a wider involvement of the scientific community in K-12 education and outreach. Improving science education will not happen without the collaboration of educators and scientists working in a coordinated manner and it requires a long-term, continuous effort. To contribute effectively to K-12 education all scientists should refer to the National Science Education Standards, a set of policies that guide the development of curriculum and assessment. Ocean scientists can also specifically refer to the COSEE recommendations (www.cosee.org) that led to the creation of seven regional Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence. Scientists can get involved in K-12 education in a multitude of ways. They should select projects that will accommodate time away from their research and teaching obligations, their talent, and their interest but also contribute to the education reform. A few examples of effective involvement are: 1) collaborating with colleagues in a school of education that can lead to better education of all students and future teachers, 2) acting as a resource for a national program or a local science fair, 3) serving on the advisory board of a program that develops educational material, 4) speaking out at professional meetings about the value of scientists' involvement in education, 5) speaking enthusiastically about the teaching profession. Improving science education in addition to research can seem a large, overwhelming task for scientists. As a result, focusing on projects that will fit the scientist's needs as well as benefit the science reform is of prime importance. It takes an enormous amount of work and financial and personnel resources to start a new program with measurable impact on students. So, finding the right opportunity is a priority, and stepping
The Role of Race and Teachers' Cultural Awareness in Predicting Low-Income, Black and Hispanic Students' Perceptions of Educational Attainment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahatmya, Duhita; Lohman, Brenda J.; Brown, Elizabeth L.; Conway-Turner, Jameela

2016-01-01

Demographic shifts in the United States have resulted in similar demographic shifts between K-12 teachers and their students, resulting in important implications for the educational outcomes of traditionally marginalized students and educators' cultural awareness required in teaching diverse classrooms. Using data from the Three-City Teacher…
Thinking Like a Scientist: The RITES Path for K-12 Students to Learn the Scientific Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, D. P.; Dooley, H., Jr.; Cardace, D.

2015-12-01

Bringing Research on Learning to the Geosciences (Manduca et al, 2002) stated that "An overaching goal for geoscience education is to help every student to 'think like a scientist'", and that continues to challenge geoscience education. The Rhode Island Technology Enhanced Science (RITES) project addresses that goal, and this presentation chronicles that successful effort. RITES strives to improve science education by providing professional development (PD) to the majority of science teachers at the 5th through 12th grade levels throughout Rhode Island. The PD is presented through ~forty 2.5 day workshops that emphasize the innovative use of technology and best teaching practices, consistent with the recommendations detailed in Manduca et al (2002). The presentation will focus on two of these workshops that provide middle and high school teachers with strategies and techniques for guiding student-run explorations of earthquakes as a result of tectonic plate movements. Teachers address these topics much as a scientist would by carrying out the following activities: 1) Identifying the relationships between faults, EQs and plate boundaries; 2) Using GPS data to quantify interseismic deformation; 3) Constructing an Earthquake machine; and 4) Scaling their observations from desktop to crustal scale, and (5) Using the results to forecast earthquakes along the SAF and to estimate the magnitude of earthquakes on ancient faults. As it is unrealistic to expect teachers to be able to incorporate all of this material into their syllabi, we have introduced the concept of Subtle Shifts (Exploratorium, 2006) as a means by which they can easily blend workshop material into their existing courses. Teacher surveys reflect a high level of satisfaction (81-100%), and pre- and post-evaluations show significant normalized gains (Hake, 1998), in about 90% of the courses. Moreover, students of RITES teachers demonstrate statistically significant gains in inquiry skills and content
Perceptions of Educational Barriers Affecting the Academic Achievement of Latino K-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becerra, David

2012-01-01

This study examined different factors affecting the perceptions of barriers in academic achievement of Latino K-12 students. The study used data from 1,508 participants who identified themselves as being of Hispanic or Latino heritage in the 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Education, compiled by the Pew Hispanic Center between August 7 and…
When learners become teachers: a review of peer teaching in medical student education.

PubMed

Benè, Kristen L; Bergus, George

2014-01-01

Peer teaching engages students as teachers and is widely used in K-12 education, many universities, and increasingly in medical schools. It draws on the social and cognitive congruence between learner and teacher and can be attractive to medical schools faced with a growing number of learners but a static faculty size. Peer teachers can give lectures on assigned topics, lead problem-based learning sessions, and provide one on one support to classmates in the form of tutoring. We undertook a narrative review of research on peer teachers in medical school, specifically investigating how medical students are impacted by being peer teachers and how having a peer teacher impacts learners. Studies have shown that peer teaching has a primarily positive impact on both the peer teacher and the learners. In the setting of problem-based learning courses or clinical skills instruction, medical students' performance on tests of knowledge or skills is similar whether they have faculty instructors or peer teachers. There is also strong evidence that being a peer teacher enhances the learning of the peer teacher relative to the content being taught. It is common for peer teachers to lack confidence in their abilities to successfully teach, and they appreciate receiving training related to their teaching role. We find evidence from several different educational settings that peer teaching benefits both the peer teachers and the learners. This suggests that peer teaching is a valuable methodology for medical schools to engage learners as teachers.
Perceptions of a computer-based instruction system in special education: high school teachers and students views.

PubMed

Chiang, Hsin-Yu Ariel; Jacobs, Karen

2010-01-01

Researchers investigated how one type of computer-based instruction (CBI)--Kurzweil 3000 (K-3000), was perceived to affect the reading, functional task performance, and academic self-perception of high school students with special needs. 16 students with special needs used K-3000 (assistive software that provides students with reading support) for six months to read assignments for their English language arts class and six teachers who had previous experience with integrating K-3000 into their classes were recruited. Data from focus group interviews of students and teachers were used. The advantages and disadvantages of K-3000, the factors that affected teachers' use of CBI and users' progress were explored. After the regular use of K-3000, students and teachers reported improvement in the amount and speed of reading and increased academic self-perception, specifically related to reading comprehension and pronunciation. Teachers reported that lack of accessibility to technology, time constraints, and difficulties with class management were the major reasons that hindered CBI use in their classrooms. Student participants noted that CBI was helpful when they were engaged in functional activities related to reading and writing. The progress of students in self-perception, and the advantages and drawbacks of the K-3000, along with the mechanism of users' progression were described and discussed.
Developing a nationwide K-12 outreach model: Physiology Understanding (PhUn) Week 10 years later.

PubMed

Stieben, Margaret; Halpin, Patricia A; Matyas, Marsha Lakes

2017-09-01

Since 2005, nearly 600 Physiology Understanding Week (PhUn Week) events have taken place across the U.S., involving American Physiological Society (APS) members in K-12 outreach. The program seeks to build student understanding of physiology and physiology careers, assist teachers in recognizing physiology in their standards-based curriculum, and involve more physiologists in K-12 outreach. Formative goals included program growth (sites, participants, and leaders), diversification of program models, and development of a community of practice of physiologists and trainees involved in outreach. Eleven years of member-provided data indicate that the formative goals are being met. Nearly 100,000 K-12 students have been reached during the last decade as an increasing pool of physiologists took part in a growing number of events, including a number of international events. The number and types of PhUn Week events have steadily increased as a community of practice has formed to support the program. Future program goals include targeting regional areas for PhUn Week participation, establishing research collaboratives to further explore program impacts, and providing on-demand training for physiologists. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.
Inspiring the Next Generation: Astronomy Catalyzes K12 STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borders, Kareen; Thaller, Michelle; Winglee, Robert; Borders, Kyla

2017-06-01

K-12 educators need effective and relevant astronomy professional development. NASA's Mission Science provides innovative and accessible opportunities for K-12 teachers. Science questions involve scale and distance, including Moon/Earth scale, solar system scale, and distance of objects in the universe. Teachers can gain an understanding of basic telescopes, the history of telescopes, ground and satellite based telescopes, and models of JWST Telescope. An in-depth explanation of JWST and Spitzer telescopes gave participants background knowledge for infrared astronomy observations. During teacher training, we taught the electromagnetic spectrum through interactive stations. The stations included an overview via lecture and power point, the use of ultraviolet beads to determine ultraviolet exposure, the study of lenticulars and diagramming of infrared data, looking at visible light through diffraction glasses and diagramming the data, protocols for using astronomy based research in the classroom, and infrared thermometers to compare environmental conditions around the observatory. An overview of LIDAR physics was followed up by a simulated LIDAR mapping of the topography of Mars.We will outline specific steps for K-12 infrared astronomy professional development, provide data demonstrating the impact of the above professional development on educator understanding and classroom use, and detail future plans for additional K-12 professional development.Funding was provided by Washington STEM, NASA, and the Washington Space Grant Consortium.
Inspiring Inquiry: Scientists, science teachers, and GK-12 students learning climate science together

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stwertka, C.; Blonquist, J.; Feener, D.

2010-12-01

A major communication gap exists between climate scientists, educators, and society. As a result, findings from climate research, potential implications of climate change, and possible mitigation strategies are not fully understood and accepted outside of the climate science community. A good way to begin bridging the gap is to teach climate science to students in public schools. TGLL (Think Globally, Learn Locally) is an NSF GK-12 program based at the University of Utah, which partners graduate students in the biological, geological and atmospheric sciences with middle and high school teachers in the Salt Lake City School District to improve the communication skills of Fellows and enhance inquiry-based science teaching and learning in the classroom. Each TGLL Fellow works in the same classroom(s) throughout the year, developing his or her scientific communication skills while providing teachers with content knowledge, resources, classroom support, and enhancing the experience of students such that science becomes an interesting and accessible tool for acquiring knowledge. The TGLL Fellows work closely as a group to develop inquiry-based teaching modules (a series of lessons) and a field trip that involve students in doing authentic science. Lessons are designed to apply national and Utah core curriculum concepts to broader scientific issues such as habitat alteration, pollution and disturbance, invasive species, and infectious disease, with the focus of the 2010-2011 school year being climate change. The TGLL Global Climate Change module contains lesson plans on climate temporal and spatial scales, temperature variation, energy balance, the carbon cycle, the greenhouse effect, climate feedback loops, anthropogenic climate change indicators, climate change consequences and impacts, and actions students can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The capstone experience for the module is a “Backyard Climate Change” field trip to a local pristine canyon
Preparing Global-Ready Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Lotta; Brown, Jennifer S.

2017-01-01

To produce global-ready students who can thrive and compete in an interconnected world, we must prepare global-ready teachers. This article shares how one teacher preparation program focuses on literacy, technology, and globalization, while offering relevant K-12 applications.
The Iowa K-12 Climate Science Education Initiative: a comprehensive approach to meeting in-service teachers' stated needs for teaching climate literacy with NGSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanier, C. O.; Spak, S.; Neal, T. A.; Herder, S.; Malek, A.; Miller, Z.

2017-12-01

The Iowa Board of Education voted unanimously in 2015 to adopt NGSS performance standards. The CGRER - College of Education Iowa K-12 Climate Science Education Initiative was established in 2016 to work directly with Iowa inservice teachers to provide what teachers need most to teach climate literacy and climate science content through investigational learning aligned with NGSS. Here we present teachers' requests for teaching climate with NGSS, and an approach to provide resources for place-based authentic inquiry on climate, developed, tested, and refined in partnership with inservice and preservice teachers. A survey of inservice middle school and high school science teachers was conducted at the 2016 Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics/Iowa Academy of Sciences - Iowa Science Teaching Section Fall Conference and online in fall 2016. Participants (n=383) were asked about their prior experience and education, the resources they use and need, their level of comfort in teaching climate science, perceived barriers, and how they address potential controversy. Teachers indicated preference for professional development on climate content and complete curricula packaged with lessons and interactive models aligned to Iowa standards, as well as training on instructional strategies to enhance students' ability to interpret scientific evidence. We identify trends in responses by teaching experience, climate content knowledge and its source, grade level, and urban and rural districts. Less than 20% of respondents reported controversy or negativity in teaching climate to date, and a majority were comfortable teaching climate science and climate change, with equal confidence in teaching climate and other STEM content through investigational activities. We present an approach and materials to meet these stated needs, created and tested in collaboration with Iowa teachers. We combine professional development and modular curricula with bundled standards, concepts, models, data

Using doubly latent multilevel analysis to elucidate relationships between science teachers' professional knowledge and students' performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahler, Daniela; Großschedl, Jörg; Harms, Ute

2017-01-01

Teachers make a difference for the outcome of their students in science classrooms. One focus in this context lies on teachers' professional knowledge. We describe this knowledge according to three domains, namely (1) content knowledge (CK), (2) pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and (3) curricular knowledge (CuK). We hypothesise a positive relationship between these three domains and students' performance in science. Students' science performance was conceptualised by system thinking performance in the context of biology teaching. In order to test our hypothesis, we examined the relationship between the knowledge triplet CK, PCK, and CuK and students' performance. 48 biology teachers and their students (N = 1036) participated in this study. Teachers' content-related professional knowledge and students' performance were measured by paper-and-pencil tests. Moreover, we used concept maps to further assess students' performance. By specifying doubly latent models, we found a significant positive relationship between biology teachers' PCK and students' performance. On the contrary, the results reveal no relationship between CK and CuK and students' performance. These findings are discussed in respect to modelling the interrelationship of teachers' content-related professional knowledge and students' learning in science, as well as concerning their relevance for further research and teacher education programmes.
K-12 Students as Ground Observers of Contrails in Support of Scientific Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chambers, Lin H.; Moore, Susan W.; Fischer, Joyce D.; Sepulveda, Roberto; Clark, C.

2004-01-01

Scientists are very interested in the formation of contrails, both the type and the coverage. To be detected by a satellite-born instrument, the contrail must be of a certain size, which means that some contrails go undetected. The K-12 education community is assisting with the study of contrails by participating in a network of student observers. To provide a venue for student contrail observations, the GLOBE Contrails protocol was developed as part of the GLOBE Atmospheric Science protocols. The first year of observations has provided a rich resource for researcher.
Harnessing Technology to Improve K-12 Education. Discussion Paper 2012-05

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatterji, Aaron; Jones, Benjamin

2012-01-01

Technological progress has consistently driven remarkable advances in the U.S. economy, yet K-12 education sees little technological change compared to other sectors, even as U.S. K-12 students increasingly lag behind students in other nations. This proposal considers how we can take a signature American strength--innovation--and apply it to K-12…
Turkish Student Teachers' Perceptions of a Model Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Ismail; Perkmen, Serkan; Toy, Serkan

2004-01-01

This study intends to provide some insights regarding Turkish student teachers' perception of a "Model Teacher" in terms of teaching methods, teacher personality, and teacher-student interaction in the classroom. These students are 26 graduate students who are doing their master's degree in Teacher Education at Bilkent University in…
Effects of a Haptic Augmented Simulation on K-12 Students' Achievement and Their Attitudes Towards Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Civelek, Turhan; Ucar, Erdem; Ustunel, Hakan; Aydin, Mehmet Kemal

2014-01-01

The current research aims to explore the effects of a haptic augmented simulation on students' achievement and their attitudes towards Physics in an immersive virtual reality environment (VRE). A quasi-experimental post-test design was employed utilizing experiment and control groups. The participants were 215 students from a K-12 school in…
The Virtual Mentor: Harnessing the Power of Technology to Connect K-12 Students with Collegiate Mentors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohlson, Matthew; Ehrlich, Suzanne; Lerman, Justin; Pascale, Amanda

2017-01-01

Research shows that mentoring is a way to enhance learning teaching and learning outcomes. CAMP (Collegiate Achievement Mentoring Program) Osprey is a mentoring program where collegiate students serve as leadership mentors to at-risk K12 students. To overcome geographic and financial barriers faced by our high-poverty, urban and rural partners,…
Student Portfolios. NEA Teacher-to-Teacher Books.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Education Association, Washington, DC.

In the Teacher-to-Teacher series of the National Education Association's Professional Library, teachers speak directly to other teachers about school restructuring issues. This volume covers issues in student assessment, focusing on student portfolios and their uses in reflecting student processes, collaboration, and literacy. Various portfolios…
Dr. Penny. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Material.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Della

This unit, which contains a teacher's guide and student materials, is designed for students with limited acquaintance with money (Grades K-1). Activities reinforce the basic concept of recognizing a penny, counting pennies, and associating monetary value with pennies from one to ten cents. These activities include listening to a taped read-along…
A meta-analysis of self-monitoring on reading performance of K-12 students.

PubMed

Guzman, Guadalupe; Goldberg, Taryn S; Swanson, H Lee

2018-03-01

The published single-case design (SCD) research (N = 19 articles) on self-monitoring and reading performance was synthesized. The following inclusion criteria were used: (a) the study must have been peer-reviewed, (b) implemented an intervention targeting student self-monitoring of reading skills, (c) included data on at least 1 reading outcome, (d) included visual representation of the data, and (f) the study must have used an SCD to assess the topic of interest. A total of 67 participants, 45 males and 22 females, ranging in age from 7:8 -18:7 were included in the current meta-analysis. Ethnicity was reported for 42 students: 23 were Caucasian, 12 were African American, and 7 were Latino/Hispanic. Studies were compared with those meeting What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards and those not meeting standards. The Tau-U effect size (ES) method was the main calculation method used; however, Phi ES estimates are included for comparison purposes. Results indicated that self-monitoring had an overall significant large positive effect on the reading performance of K-12 students, Tau-U = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.64, 0.93], p < .0001. However, self-monitoring for studies that met WWC criteria yielded a larger overall positive ES, Tau-U = 0.93, 95% CI [0.79, 1.07], p < .0001. Although the current meta-analysis is limited to peer-reviewed SCD studies, the findings provide support for self-monitoring as an evidence-based reading intervention for students in Grades K-12. Furthermore, findings indicate that larger ES values were identified when consolidating studies based on WWC guidelines as compared with consolidating across all studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mission EARTH (GME) program delivers climate change science content, pedagogy, and data resources to K12 educators, future teachers, and professional development providers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostrom, T.

2017-12-01

This presentation will include a series of visuals that discuss how hands-on learning activities and field investigations from the the Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mission EARTH (GME) program deliver climate change science content, pedagogy, and data resources to K12 educators, future teachers, and professional development providers. The GME program poster presentation will also show how teachers strengthen student preparation for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM)-related careers while promoting diversity in the future STEM workforce. In addition to engaging students in scientific inquiry, the GME program poster will show how career exploration and preparation experiences is accomplished through direct connection to scientists and real science practices. The poster will show which hands-on learning activities that are being implemented in more than 30,000 schools worldwide, with over a million students, teachers, and scientists collecting environmental measurements using the GLOBE scientific protocols. This poster will also include how Next Generation Science Standards connect to GME learning progressions by grade strands. The poster will present the first year of results from the implementation of the GME program. Data is currently being agrigated by the east, midwest and westen regional operations.
Improving K-12 Online Learning: Information Literacy Skills for Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ntuli, Esther; Kyei-Blankson, Lydia

2016-01-01

Research indicates the need for teachers to be able to locate, evaluate, and use Internet resources in their teaching and learning processes. In addition, the Common Core State Standards require that students are able to think critically and know how to search and use alternative views and perspectives in their assignments. These skills are…
Economics in the School Curriculum, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schug, Mark C., Ed.

Intended to help economics educators in grades K-12 foster in students the thinking skills and substantive economic knowledge necessary to become effective and participating citizens, this book is organized around four themes. Part I presents an introduction by Mark C. Schug and a section on "The Current Status of Economics in the K-12 Curriculum"…
Developing the Practice of Teacher Questioning through a K-2 Elementary Mathematics Field Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Catherine

2015-01-01

This article presents findings from research on a field experience designed to help elementary preservice teachers learn the practice of teacher questioning during formal and informal interviews to analyze student mathematical thinking in K-2 classrooms. The practice of teacher questioning is framed as choosing a mathematical goal, analyzing…
In Search of Voice: Theory and Methods in K-12 Student Voice Research in the Us, 1990-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Taucia E.; Hernandez-Saca, David I.; Artiles, Alfredo J.

2017-01-01

Student voice research is a promising field of study that disrupts traditional student roles by reorganizing learning spaces that center youth voices. This review synthesizes student voice research by answering the following questions: (a) To what extent has student voice been studied at the K-12 levels in the US? (b) What are the conceptual…
Engaging Scientists in K-12 Professional Development and Curriculum Development in the Context of Alaska's Large Marine Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sigman, M.; Anderson, A.; Deans, N. L.; Dublin, R.; Dugan, D.; Matsumoto, G. I.; Warburton, J.

2012-12-01

Alaska marine ecosystem-based professional development workshops have proven to be a robust context for engaging scientists from a variety of disciplines in overcoming barriers to communication and collaboration among scientists and educators. Scientists came away from scientist-teacher workshops with effective K-12 outreach strategies as well as a deeper understanding about how to contribute meaningfully to K-12 education. The establishment of the Alaskan Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE-AK) in 2009 was the catalyst for a series of professional development workshops related to the North Pacific Research Board's (NPRB) marine focus areas (Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, Gulf of Alaska, and Arctic Ocean) for Integrated Ecosystem Research Programs (IERPs). During 2010-2012, COSEE-AK and NPRB partnered with the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS), the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) to support a five-day professional development workshop focused on each ecosystem. The workshops brought together three types of participants: 1) Alaska-focused marine ecosystem scientists; 2) rural Alaskan teachers living within each ecosystem; and 3) teachers from outside Alaska who had research experiences with scientists in the ecosystem. Over the course of the workshops, we developed a workshop model with four objectives: 1) to increase the science content knowledge of educators and their ability to teach ecosystem science; 2) to provide the scientists an opportunity to have broader impacts from their research on educators and Alaska Native and rural students; 3) to increase the knowledge and skills of educator and scientist participants to provide effective learning experiences for K-12 students; and 4) to facilitate the collaborative development of lesson plans. A total of 28 scientists and 41 educators participated in the three workshops. The success of the workshop for the educators was
Teachers' Educational Beliefs about Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landers, Andrew James

2017-01-01

Past research indicates that teachers' beliefs are influential in their decisions and behaviors in the classroom. Teachers are also influenced by the socioeconomic status of their students. The present study on beliefs and evaluation of knowledge about working with students with learning disabilities included kindergarten through 12th grade…
Social and Emotional Learning and Teacher-Student Relationships: Preschool Teachers' and Students' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poulou, Maria S.

2017-01-01

The study aimed to investigate how teachers' perceptions of emotional intelligence, and social and emotional learning (SEL) relate to teacher-student relationships. Teachers' perceptions of teacher-student relationships and the degree of agreement with students' perceptions was also investigated. Preschool teachers from 92 public schools in…
First Steps Toward K-12 Teacher Professional Development Using Internet-based Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berryhill, K. J.; Gershun, D.; Slater, T. F.; Armstrong, J. D.

2012-12-01

How can science teachers become more familiar with emerging technology, excite their students and give students a taste of astronomy research? Astronomy teachers do not always have research experience, so it is difficult for them to convey to students how researchers use telescopes. The nature of astronomical observation (e.g., remote sites, expensive equipment, and odd hours) has been a barrier to providing teachers with insight into the process. Robotic telescopes (operated automatically with queued observing schedules) and remotely controlled telescopes (controlled by the user via the Internet) allow scientists to conduct observing sessions on research-grade telescopes half a world away. The same technology can now be harnessed by STEM educators to engage students and reinforce what is being taught in the classroom, as seen in some early research in elementary schools (McKinnon and Mainwaring 2000 and McKinnon and Geissinger 2002), and middle/high schools (Sadler et al. 2001, 2007 and Gehret et al. 2005). However, teachers need to be trained to use these resources. Responding to this need, graduate students and faculty at the University of Wyoming and CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research are developing teacher professional development programs using Internet-based telescopes. We conducted an online course in the science education graduate program at the University of Wyoming. This course was designed to sample different types of Internet-based telescopes to evaluate them as resources for teacher professional development. The 10 participants were surveyed at the end of the course to assess their experiences with each activity. In addition, pre-test/post-test data were collected focusing specifically on one of the telescopes (Gershun, Berryhill and Slater 2012). Throughout the course, the participants learned to use a variety of robotic and remote telescopes including SLOOH Space Camera (www.slooh.com), Sky Titan Observatory (www
Teacher Feedback and Student Academic Achievement: Teacher Use of Student Information Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

In an era of professional standards for educators and teacher evaluations linked to measures of student achievement, researchers use data from student information systems to address research questions linking teacher feedback to student achievement. A quantitative study of teacher use of the Skyward student information system (SIS) was conducted…
An Investigation of the Factors That Motivate K-12 Christian School Teachers to Participate in Professional Development and the Relationship to Job Satisfaction and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Bonita Wingfield

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to advance knowledge by examining the reasons that motivate teachers to participate in professional development and the relationship to teacher job satisfaction and retention in Christian-based K-12 Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) member schools. The study contributes to the literature in the field…

Enriching K-12 Science and Mathematics Education Using LEGOs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Keeshan; Igel, Irina; Poveda, Ronald; Kapila, Vikram; Iskander, Magued

2012-01-01

This paper presents a series of illustrative LEGO Mindstorms-based science and math activities, developed under an NSF GK-12 Fellows project, for elementary, middle, and high school grades. The activities, developed by engineering and science graduate Fellows in partnership with K-12 teachers, are grade appropriate, address pertinent learning…
Teaching Experiences for Graduate Student Researchers: A Study of the Design and Implementation of Science Courses for Secondary Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Anne Wrigley

Modern science education reform recommends that teachers provide K-12 science students a more complete picture of the scientific enterprise, one that lies beyond content knowledge and centers more on the processes and culture of scientists. In the case of Research Experience for Teachers (RET) programs, the "teacher" becomes "researcher" and it is expected that he/she will draw from the short-term science research experience in his/her classroom, offering students more opportunities to practice science as scientists do. In contrast, this study takes place in a program that allows graduate students, engaged in research full-time, to design and implement a short-duration course for high school students on Saturdays; the "researcher" becomes "teacher" in an informal science program. In this study, I investigated eleven graduate students who taught in the Saturday Science (SS) program. Analyses revealed participants' sophisticated views of the nature of science. Furthermore, participants' ideas about science clearly resonated with the tenets of NOS recommended for K-12 education (McComas et al., 1998). This study also highlighted key factors graduate students considered when designing lessons. Instructors took great care to move away from models of traditional, "lecture"-based, university science teaching. Nonetheless, instruction lacked opportunities for students to engage in scientific inquiry. In instances when instructors included discussions of NOS in SS courses, opportunities for high school students to learn NOS were not explicit enough to align with current science reform recommendations (e.g., AAAS, 2009). Graduate students did, however, offer high school students access to their own science or engineering research communities. These findings have significant implications for K-12 classroom reform. Universities continue to be a valuable resource for K-12 given access to scientists, materials or equipment, and funding. Nonetheless, and as was the case with
Supporting students' construction of scientific explanation through curricular scaffolds and teacher instructional practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeill, Katherine Lynch

An essential goal of classroom science is to help all students become scientifically literate to encourage greater public understanding in a science infused world. This type of literacy requires that students participate in scientific inquiry practices such as construction of arguments or scientific explanations in which they justify their claims with appropriate evidence and reasoning. Although scientific explanations are an important learning goal, this complex inquiry practice is frequently omitted from k-12 science classrooms and students have difficulty creating them. I investigated how two different curricular scaffolds (context-specific vs. generic), teacher instructional practices, and the interaction between these two types of support influence student learning of scientific explanations. This study focuses on an eight-week middle school chemistry curriculum, How can I make new stuff from old stuff?, which was enacted by six teachers with 578 students during the 2004-2005 school year. Overall, students' written scientific explanations improved during the unit in which they were provided with multiple forms of teacher and curricular support. A growth curve model of student learning showed that there was a significant difference in the effect of the two curricular scaffolds towards the end of the unit and on the posttest. The context-specific scaffolds resulted in greater student learning of how to write scientific explanations, but only for three of the six teachers. The case studies created from the videotapes of classroom enactments revealed that teachers varied in which instructional practices they engaged in and the quality of those practices. Analyses suggested that the curricular scaffolds and teacher instructional practices were synergistic in that the supports interacted and the effect of the written curricular scaffolds depended on the teacher's enactment of the curriculum. The context-specific curricular scaffolds were more successful in
Teacher Voice: How Teachers Perceive Evaluations and How Leaders Can Use This Knowledge to Help Teachers Grow Professionally

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Paul

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how K-12 public school teachers perceive the use of student performance data in teacher evaluations. The proprietary, utility, feasibility, and accuracy standards created by the Joint Committee on Standards for Education Evaluation served as a framework for the study. An online survey was deployed to a…
Teaching GUI-Programming Concepts to Prospective K12 ICT Teachers: MIT App Inventor as an Alternative to Text-Based Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihci, Can; Ozdener Donmez, Nesrin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate the short and long-term effects of using GUI-oriented visual Blocks-Based Programming languages (BBL) as a 2nd tier tool when teaching programming to prospective K12 ICT teachers. In a mixed-method approach, the effect on academic success as well as the impact on professional opinions and preferences…
School District of Philadelphia Student Achievement as Related to 2008-2009 K-8 Teachers' Perceptions of Major Academic Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason-Dorman, Cheryl

2013-01-01

The School District of Philadelphia (SDP), established in 1818, is the eighth largest school district in the United States, with a student enrollment of 184,560 K-12 students. Like most of the other large urban school districts in the United States, its student population consists of more minority students than non-minority students. As the white…
The Urban Environment. A Teacher's Guide, Grades K-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busch, Phyllis S.

Sixty-three learning activities comprise this curriculum guide to conservation education designed for elementary students. The activities enable the teacher to relate the urban child's immediate environment to the ecological problems which confront our world. Four conceptual schemes are used for each of the four grades, K-3: Living things (plants,…
English Language Arts: Literature Section K-12, Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Curriculum Development Center.

This curriculum guide is designed to provide a basic framework of skills and activities useful to elementary and secondary teachers in the teaching of literature. The first section discusses activities to facilitate elementary school students' appreciation and understanding of literature. Activities are discussed for grades K-3 and grades 4-6…
Longitudinal Effects of Teacher and Student Perceptions of Teacher-Student Relationship Qualities on Academic Adjustment

PubMed Central

Hughes, Jan N.

2010-01-01

The shared and unique effects of teacher and student reports of teacher student relationship quality (TSRQ) in second and third grade on academic self views, behavioral engagement, and achievement the following year were investigated in a sample of 714 academically at-risk students. Teacher and student reports of teacher-student support and conflict showed low correspondence. As a block, teacher and student reports of TSRQ predicted all outcomes, above prior performance on that outcome and background variables. Student reports uniquely predicted school belonging, perceived academic competence, and math achievement. Teacher reports uniquely predicted behavioral engagement and child perceived academic competence. Teacher and student reports of the teacher-student relationship assess largely different constructs that predict different outcomes. Implications of findings for practice and research are discussed. PMID:21984843
Earth system science K-12 scientist-student partnerships using paleontological materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harnik, P. G.; Ross, R. M.; Chiment, J. J.; Sherpa, J. M.

2001-05-01

Reducing the discrepancy between the dynamic science that researchers experience and the static fact-driven science education in which k-12 students participate at school is an important component to national science education reform. Scientist-student partnerships (SSPs) involving whole classes in Earth systems research provide a solution to this problem, but existing models have often lacked rigorous scientific data quality control and/or evaluation of pedagogical effectiveness. The Paleontological Research Institution has been prototyping two SSPs with an eye toward establishing protocols to insure both scientific and educational quality of the partnership. Data quality analysis involves making statistical estimates of data accuracy and employing robust statistical techniques for answering essential questions with noisy data. Educational evaluation takes into account affective variables, such as student motivation and interest, and compares the relative pedagogical effectiveness of SSPs with more traditional hands-on activities. Paleontology is a natural subject for scientist-student partnerships because of its intrinsic appeal to the general public, and because its interdisciplinary content serves as a springboard for meeting science education standards across the physical and life sciences. The "Devonian Seas" SSP involves classes in identifying fossil taxa and assessing taphonomic characteristics from Devonian-aged Hamilton Group shales in Central New York. The scientific purpose of the project is to establish at high stratigraphic resolution the sequence of dysoxic biofacies composition, which will shed light on the sensitivity of epeiric sea communities to environmental (e.g., sea level) changes. The project is undertaken in upper elementary school and secondary school Earth science classes, and in some cases has involved field-based teacher training and collection of samples. Students in small teams collaborate to identify taxa within the samples, then
Where Can We Find Future K-12 Science and Math Teachers? A Search by Academic Year, Discipline, and Academic Performance Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moin, Laura J.; Dorfield, Jennifer K.; Schunn, Christian D.

2005-01-01

Responding to the increasing math and science teacher shortage in the United States, this study intended to determine which science, engineering, and math (SEM) majors during which years in their undergraduate education and from which academic performance levels are most interested in K-12 teaching. Results may aid policymakers and practitioners…
Supporting Climate Literacy in the K12 Classroom by Identifying Educators' Perceived Barriers to and Gaps in Resources for Teaching Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tayne, K.

2015-12-01

As K12 teachers seek ways to provide meaningful learning opportunities for students to understand climate change, they often face barriers to teaching about climate and/or lack relevant resources on the topic. In an effort to better understand how to support K12 teachers in this role, a survey about "teaching climate change" was created and distributed. The results of the 2015 survey are presented, based on more than 200 teacher responses. Respondents included National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) members, 2015 STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Fellows and science teachers from several U.S. school districts. The survey identifies teachers' perceived barriers to teaching climate change, for example difficulty integrating climate change concepts into specific core courses (i.e., biology), as well as desired classroom resources, such as climate change project-based learning (PBL) units that connect to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Survey results also indicate possible pathways for federal agencies, non-profits, universities and other organizations to have a more significant impact on climate literacy in the classroom. In response to the survey results, a comprehensive guide is being created to teach climate change in K12 classrooms, addressing barriers and providing resources for teachers. For example, in the survey, some teachers indicated that they lacked confidence in their content knowledge and understanding of climate change, so this guide provides web-based resources to help further an educator's understanding of climate change, as well as opportunities for relevant online and in-person professional development. In this quest for desired resources to teach climate change, gaps in accessible and available online resources are being identified. Information about these "gaps" may help organizations that strive to support climate literacy in the classroom better serve teachers.
Student Mental Health in California's K-12 Schools: School Principal Reports of Common Problems and Activities to Address Them.

PubMed

Kaufman, Julia H; Seelam, Rachana; Woodbridge, Michelle W; Sontag-Padilla, Lisa; Osilla, Karen Chan; Stein, Bradley D

2016-01-29

Reports results of a survey of K-12 principals to take inventory of student mental health and wellness needs and the types of programs schools are most often implementing to help students in California's public schools.
Preparing Pre-Service Teachers to Integrate Technology into K-12 Instruction: Evaluation of a Technology-Infused Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Admiraal, Wilfried; van Vugt, Felix; Kranenburg, Frans; Koster, Bob; Smit, Ben; Weijers, Sanne; Lockhorst, Ditte

2017-01-01

The quality of how technology is addressed in teacher education programmes is conditional for how student teachers apply technology in secondary schools after their graduation. Two technology-infused courses of one teacher education programme were evaluated. In line with studies on the development of pre-service teachers' technological,…
EASI Street to Science and Math for K-12 Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Carmela; Noble, Steve

This paper discusses the poor preparation of children with disabilities in math and science fields, and the perception that students with disabilities are not capable of doing work in science and math, which is often reinforced by teachers and parents. It is argued that the low expectations and waived requirements for children with disabilities…
Suggestions from Student Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Womack, Sid T.

Teachers and administrators can help simplify the adjustment of student teachers to the classroom by being aware of student teacher concerns and problem areas. Asked to voice concerns and suggestions for future students, two groups of students at a Texas university and an Oklahoma university cited discipline, stress and fatigue, and relations with…
Disrupting Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Meredith

2013-01-01

Teachers are increasingly recognized as the most important in-school factor in student achievement, yet the quality of the country's K-12 teaching force is not up to snuff. Much of the blame has been placed on education schools, which have come under fire for failing to produce enough high-performing teachers. Both initial certification programs,…
Addressing K-5 Students' and Preservice Elementary Teachers' Conceptions of Seasonal Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starakis, Ioannis; Halkia, Krystallia

2014-01-01

In this paper, primary school students' and pre-service teachers' ideas of seasonal change are investigated. The research was carried out in nine primary schools in Athens and in the Primary Education Department of the University of Athens. Written reports were used for gathering data while students also had the opportunity to support their…
West Bloomfield Schools Social Studies Curriculum K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morse, James E.; And Others

The curriculum guide outlines behavioral objectives, learning activities, evaluation methods, and resources to help K-12 classroom teachers develop and implement social studies programs. Major objectives are to extend knowledge, develop skills to make effective use of this knowledge, and to facilitate the socialization process. The first section…
Student rating as an effective tool for teacher evaluation.

PubMed

Aslam, Muhammad Nadeem

2013-01-01

To determine the effectiveness of students' rating as a teacher evaluation tool. Concurrent mixed method. King Edward Medical University, Lahore, from January to June 2010. Anonymous 5-point Likert scale survey questionnaire was conducted involving a single class consisting of 310 students and 12 students were selected for structured interview based on non-probability purposive sampling. Informed consent was procured. They were required to rate 6 teachers and were supposed to discuss teachers' performance in detail. Quantitative data collected through survey was analyzed using SPSS 15 and qualitative data was analyzed with the help of content analysis by identifying themes and patterns from thick descriptions. This student feedback would show the effectiveness in terms of its feasibility and as an indicator of teaching attributes. Descriptive statistics of quantitative data obtained from survey was used to calculate mean and standard deviation for all teachers' individually. This showed the average direction of the student ratings. Percentages of the responses calculated of teacher A were 85.96%, teacher B 65.53, teacher C 65.20%, teacher D 69.62%, teacher E 65.32% and teacher F 64.24% in terms of overall effectiveness of their teaching. Structured interviews generated qualitative data which validated the students' views about strengths and weaknesses of teachers, and helped to determine the effectiveness of their rating and feedback. This simple rating system clearly showed its importance and hence can be used in institutions as a regular evaluating method of teaching faculty.

Teaching Pre-Service Teachers about Belonging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Ann

2017-01-01

This article describes how a Teacher Educator teaches her university students (pre-service teachers) about belonging; how it feels to belong to a group, why they need to spend their time and energy during the school day working to make K-12 students feel that they belong, what belonging looks like, and how to make it happen in the pre-service…
Using Off-the-Shelf Gaming Controllers For Computer Control in the K-12 Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourgoin, N. L.; Withee, J.; Segee, M.; Birkel, S. D.; Albee, E.; Koons, P. O.; Zhu, Y.; Segee, B.

2009-12-01

In the classroom, the interaction between students, teachers, and datasets is becoming more game like. Software such as GoogleEarth allow students to interact with data on a more personal level; allowing them the dynamically change variables, move arbitrarily, and personalize their experience with the datasets. As this becomes more immersive, traditional software control such as keyboard and mouse begin to hold the student back in terms of intuitive interfacing with the data. This is a problem that has best been tackled by modern gaming systems such as the Wii, XBox 360, and Playstation 3 Systems. By utilizing the solutions given by these gaming systems, it is possible to further a students immersion with a system. Through an NSF ITEST (Information and Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) grant, researchers at the University of Maine have experimented with using the game controller that is used for interacting with the Nintendo Wii (often called a Wiimote) with existing geodynamic systems in an effort to eases interaction with these systems. Since these game controllers operate using Bluetooth, a common protocol in computing, Wiimotes can easily communicate with existing laptop computers that are issued to Maine students. This paper describes the technical requirements, setup, and usage of Wiimotes as an input device to complex geodynamical systems for use in the K-12 classroom.
Preparing Special Educators for the K-12 Online Learning Environment: A Survey of Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Sean J.; Basham, James; Rice, Mary F.; Carter, Richard A., Jr.

2016-01-01

Pioneering research studies in teacher preparation in online settings have taken place, yet little to no work has been done specifically focused on teacher preparation for special education and learners with disabilities. In the present study, researchers from the Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities conducted a web-based…
Generic vs. Modality-Specific Competencies for K-12 Online and Blended Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulham, Emily B.; Graham, Charles R.; Short, Cecil R.

2018-01-01

Although research has explored teacher competencies in K-12 blended and online learning, it has not specified which competencies are appropriate to an online or digital medium, which refer to blending in-person with online experiences, or which are generic--applicable in any teaching modality. This article explores selected K-12 online and blended…
From Student to Teacher: Changes in Preservice Teacher Educational Beliefs throughout the Learning-to-Teach Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Carrie R. Giboney

2016-01-01

Preservice teachers enter programs with beliefs about teaching and learning, constructed from prior schooling experiences. This longitudinal study examines preservice teachers' K-12 memories, their initial educational beliefs, and the changes in those beliefs over their teacher education program. Analysis of questionnaires, interviews, work…
Teachers' and Students' Perceptions of Effective Physics Teacher Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korur, Fikret; Eryilmaz, Ali

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: What do teachers and students in Turkey perceive as the common characteristics of effective physics teachers? Purpose of Study: The first aim was to investigate the common characteristics of effective physics teachers by asking students and teachers about the effects of teacher characteristics on student physics achievement and…
Development of K-12 Engineering Outreach Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, William

2003-01-01

Six modules were created that can be used in K-12 classes to introduce students to what engineers can do at NASA.The purpose of this project was to create outreach materials for the classroom. To make it appealing to students, many color NASA photographs are used to illustrate NASA applications.Student experiments are described that can be performed to illustrate topics.
Physical Attractiveness, Year of University, and the Expectations of Student-Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clifton, Rodney A.; Baksh, Ismael J.

1978-01-01

Extends previous research (Clifford & Walster, 1973) on the relationship between pupils' physical attractiveness and teacher expectations. Examines the extent to which the length of time that a student-teacher has been in university mediates this relationship. (Author/R K)
K-4 Keepers Collection: A Service Learning Teacher Professional Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwerin, T. G.; Blaney, L.; Myers, R. J.

2011-12-01

This poster focuses on the K-4 Keepers Collection, a service-learning program developed for the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA). ESSEA is a NOAA-, NASA- and NSF-supported program of teacher professional development that increases teachers' pedagogical content knowledge of climate-related Earth system science. The ESSEA program -- whether used in formal higher education courses or frequented by individual teachers who look for classroom activities in the environmental sciences -- provides a full suite of activities, lessons and units for teachers' use. The ESSEA network consists of 45 universities and education centers addressing climate and environment issues. K-4 Keepers Collection - ESSEA K-4 module collections focus on five specific themes of content development: spheres, Polar Regions, oceans, climate and service learning. The K-4 Keepers collection provides the opportunity for teachers to explore topics and learning projects promoting stewardship of the Earth's land, water, air and living things. Examination of the impacts of usage and pollution on water, air, land and living things through service-learning projects allows students to become informed stewards. All of the modules include short-term sample projects that either educate or initiate action involving caring for the environment. The K-4 Keepers course requires teachers to develop similar short or long-term projects for implementation in their classrooms. Objectives include: 1. Increase elementary teachers' environmental literacy addressing ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, stewardship, weather and climate science standards and using NOAA and NASA resources. 2. Develop elementary teachers' efficacy in employing service learning projects focused on conserving and preserving Earth's land, air, water and living things. 3. Prepare college faculty to incorporate service learning and environmental literacy into their courses through professional development and modules on the ESSEA website.
Laptops in the K-12 Classrooms: Exploring Factors Impacting Instructional Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inan, Fethi A.; Lowther, Deborah L.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine factors affecting teachers' integration of laptops into classroom instruction. A research-based path model was tested based on data gathered from 379 K-12 school teachers to examine direct and indirect contributions of relevant institutional factors (overall support for school technology, technical support,…
Challenging Transitions and Crossing Borders: Preparing Novice Mathematics Teacher Educators to Support Novice K-12 Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yow, Jan A.; Eli, Jennifer A.; Beisiegel, Mary; McCloskey, Andrea; Welder, Rachael M.

2016-01-01

Sixty-nine recently graduated doctoral students in mathematics education completed a survey to determine their perceptions of transitioning from a doctoral program into an academic position at an institution of higher education. Research literature for novice mathematics school teachers was also reviewed to document their experiences transitioning…
Teachers' Perceptions of Effective Teaching: A Theory-Based Exploratory Study of Teachers from China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meng, Lingqi; Muñoz, Marco A.; Wu, Dewen

2016-01-01

There is general agreement that teachers matter the most when it comes to student learning. However, there is an unquestionable need for educators to understand what constitutes effective teaching in K-12 classrooms. This research studied Chinese high school (N = 359) teachers' perceptions of effective teaching using an international theoretical…
The Classroom Teacher's Technology Survival Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Doug

2012-01-01

This is a must-have resource for all K-12 teachers and administrators who want to really make the best use of available technologies. Written by Doug Johnson, an expert in educational technology, "The Classroom Teacher's Technology Survival Guide" is replete with practical tips teachers can easily use to engage their students and make their…
Linking Teacher Quality, Student Attendance, and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gershenson, Seth

2016-01-01

Research on the effectiveness of educational inputs, particularly research on teacher effectiveness, typically overlooks teachers' potential impact on behavioral outcomes, such as student attendance. Using longitudinal data on teachers and students in North Carolina I estimate teacher effects on primary school student absences in a value-added…
Are Learning Assistants Better K-12 Science Teachers?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Kara E.; Webb, David C.; Otero, Valerie K.

2010-10-01

This study investigates how the undergraduate Learning Assistant (LA) experience affects teachers' first year of teaching. The LA Program provides interested science majors with the opportunity to explore teaching through weekly teaching responsibilities, an introduction to physics education research, and a learning community within the university. Some of these LAs are recruited to secondary science teacher certification programs. We hypothesized that the LA experience would enhance the teaching practices of the LAs who ultimately become teachers. To test this hypothesis, LAs were compared to a matched sample of teachers who completed the same teacher certification program as the LAs but did not have the LA "treatment." LAs and "non-LAs" were compared through interviews, classroom observations, artifact packages, and observations made with Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP) collected within the first year of teaching. Some differences were found; these findings and their implications are discussed.
Triangulation of written assessments from patients, teachers and students: useful for students and teachers?

PubMed

Gran, Sarah Frandsen; Braend, Anja Maria; Lindbaek, Morten

2010-01-01

Many medical students in general practice clerkships experience lack of observation-based feedback. The StudentPEP project combined written feedback from patients, observing teachers and students. This study analyzes the perceived usefulness of triangulated written feedback. A total of 71 general practitioners and 79 medical students at the University of Oslo completed project evaluation forms after a 6-week clerkship. A principal component analysis was performed to find structures within the questionnaire. Regression analysis was performed regarding students' answers to whether StudentPEP was worthwhile. Free-text answers were analyzed qualitatively. Student and teacher responses were mixed within six subscales, with highest agreement on 'Teachers oral and written feedback' and 'Attitude to patient evaluation'. Fifty-four per cent of the students agreed that the triangulation gave concrete feedback on their weaknesses, and 59% valued the teachers' feedback provided. Two statements regarding the teacher's attitudes towards StudentPEP were significantly associated with the student's perception of worthwhileness. Qualitative analysis showed that patient evaluations were encouraging or distrusted. Some students thought that StudentPEP ensured observation and feedback. The patient evaluations increased the students' awareness of the patient perspective. A majority of the students considered the triangulated written feedback beneficial, although time-consuming. The teacher's attitudes strongly influenced how the students perceived the usefulness of StudentPEP.
Experiences of Enterprising Teachers: 42 Great Ideas for Teaching Economics, Grades K-12. Volume 34.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuechterlein, Dot, Ed.; Dick, James

This booklet is the 34th edition of "Experiences of Enterprising Teachers" and describes the 42 projects selected to receive National Awards for Teaching Economics. Seventy-four teachers from the primary through the senior high school level developed the curricula to help their students understand how the world works, today, tomorrow, and the day…
Medical students' and teachers' perceptions of sexual misconduct in the student-teacher relationship.

PubMed

Dekker, Hanke; Snoek, Jos W; Schönrock-Adema, Johanna; van der Molen, Thys; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke

2013-11-01

Teachers are important role models for the development of professional behaviour of young trainee doctors. Unfortunately, sometimes they show unprofessional behaviour. To address misconduct in teaching, it is important to determine where the thresholds lie when it comes to inappropriate behaviours in student-teacher encounters. We explored to what extent students and teachers perceive certain behaviours as misconduct or as sexual harassment. We designed-with a reference group-five written vignettes describing inappropriate behaviours in the student-teacher relationship. Clinical students (n = 1,195) and faculty of eight different hospitals (n = 1,497) were invited to rate to what extent they perceived each vignette as misconduct or sexual harassment. Data were analyzed using t tests and Pearson's correlations. In total 643 students (54 %) and 551 teachers (37 %) responded. All vignettes were consistently considered more as misconduct than as actual sexual harassment. At an individual level, respondents differed largely as to whether they perceived an incident as misconduct or sexual harassment. Comparison between groups showed that teachers' and students' perceptions on three vignettes differed significantly, although the direction differed. Male students were more lenient towards certain behaviours than female students. To conclude, perceptions of misconduct and sexual harassment are not univocal. We recommend making students and teachers aware that the boundaries of others may not be the same as their own.
Proactive Classroom Management, K-8: A Practical Guide to Empower Students and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denti, Louis G.

2012-01-01

Every teacher dreams of the perfect, well-behaved class, but the reality can be quite different. On those less-than-perfect days, having a system in place helps you and your students stay on track. This gold mine of teacher-developed and -approved strategies goes beyond classroom management theory and gives you ready-to-use tools that not only…
The Impact of Teacher-Student Relationships and Achievement Motivation on Students' Intentions to Dropout According to Socio-Economic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergeron, Julie; Chouinard, Roch; Janosz, Michel

2011-01-01

The main goal was to test if teacher-student relationships and achievement motivation are predicting dropout intention equally for low and high socio-economic status students. A questionnaire measuring teacher-student relationships and achievement motivation was administered to 2,360 French Canadian secondary students between 12 and 15 years old…

The Relationship of Student Influence and Teacher Efficacy on the Behaviors of Mid-Atlantic High School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, Jessica

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships of teacher efficacy and student influence to teacher behaviors within the classroom among mid-Atlantic high school teachers. The population studied consisted of secondary teachers who instructed multiple subject areas within grades 9 through 12. A survey was conducted to collect…
Supporting the K-12 Classroom through University Outreach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moskal, Barbara; Skokan, Catherine

2011-01-01

This article provides a field-based example of a series of outreach programs that have been designed in response to current recommendations found in the K-12 outreach literature. These programs begin with university mathematics and science faculty members teaching a 10-day summer workshop to elementary and middle school teachers. Following this…
10 Good Reasons to Mentor a Student Teacher: Advantages for Supervising Mathematics Teachers and Their Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Michael; Prescott, Anne

2011-01-01

The authors have been conducting research with early career secondary mathematics teachers in metropolitan Sydney, focusing particularly on the professional experiences of student teachers. As part of the research, 12 supervising teachers were visited at their schools. Seven of them were interviewed individually about their role in developing the…
Teachers' Perceptions of Grading Practices: How Pre-Service Training Makes a Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Link, Laura

2018-01-01

This study examines the enduring problem of inconsistent K-12 grading practices by exploring the relationship between teachers' perceptions of various grading practices, such as factoring student behavior in academic grades, as related to grade level, district locale, and training. Survey responses from 2,996 K-12 teachers from one suburban and…
Relations of Student Perceptions of Teacher Oral Feedback with Teacher Expectancies and Student Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yi-Hsin; Thompson, Marilyn S.; Kromrey, Jeffrey D.; Chang, George H.

2011-01-01

In this article, the authors investigated the relations of students' perceptions of teachers' oral feedback with teacher expectancies and student self-concept. A sample of 1,598 Taiwanese children in Grades 3 to 6 completed measures of student perceptions of teacher oral feedback and school self-concept. Homeroom teachers identified students for…
Student and Teacher Outcomes of The Superkids Quasi-Experimental Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borman, Geoffrey D.; Dowling, N. Maritza

2009-01-01

In this article, we report kindergarten student and teacher outcomes from a quasi-experimental evaluation of The Superkids, a systematic, phonics-based, comprehensive K-2 reading program. We recruited 23 kindergarten teachers to implement The Superkids program from a diverse, yet predominantly ethnic minority, group of classrooms from across the…
Modern & Classical Languages: K-12 Program EValuation 1988-89.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Margaret Perea

This evaluation of the modern and classical languages programs, K-12, in the Albuquerque (New Mexico) public school system provides general information on the program's history, philosophy, recognition, curriculum development, teachers, and activities. Specific information is offered on the different program components, namely, the elementary…
Empathy Research and Teacher Preparation: Benefits and Obstacles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouton, Bobette

2016-01-01

Teacher preparation is critical in cultivating good teachers, but more importantly in helping teachers learn how to meet the academic and emotional needs of preK-12 students. Teaching and training the socio-emotional trait of empathy is an important skill for pre-service teachers to develop. However, due to the multiple definitions, fields of…
Student Success in Online K-12 Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ronsisvalle, Tammy; Watkins, Ryan

2005-01-01

While online education has made great strides in recent years to become an accepted component of higher education, with many colleges now offering accredited online degree programs, the current opportunities and challenges of online K-12 education are still awash in the turbulent waters of regional politics, temperamental technologies, changing…
Using Calculators in Mathematics 12. Teacher Commentary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rising, Gerald R.; And Others

This teacher's guide is designed to aid in the incorporation of programable calculators in the school mathematics program for pupils in grade 12. Warnings are given, including the need for care in modifying the curriculum so that students are not punished in the process. The concept of "black boxing," of letting the computer or…
Learning with Teachers; A Scientist's Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czajkowski, K. P.

2004-12-01

Over the past six years, as an Assistant Professor and now as an Associate Professor, I have engaged in educational outreach activities with K-12 teachers and their students. In this presentation I will talk about the successes and failures that I have had as a scientist engaged in K-12 educational outreach, including teaching the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) distance learning course, teaching inquiry-based science to pre-service teachers through the NASA Opportunities for Visionary Academics (NOVA) program, GLOBE, school visits, and research projects with teachers and students. I will reflect on the potential impact this has had on my career, negative and positive. I will present ways that I have been able to engage in educational outreach while remaining a productive scientist, publishing research papers, etc. Obtaining grant funding to support a team of educational experts to assist me perform outreach has been critical to my groups success. However, reporting for small educational grants from state agencies can often be overwhelming. The bottom line is that I find working with teachers and students rewarding and believe that it is a critical part of me being a scientist. Through the process of working with teachers I have learned pedagogy that has helped me be a better teacher in the university classroom.
Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Teaching Science to Improve Student Content Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephenson, Robert L.

The majority of Grade 5 students demonstrate limited science knowledge on state assessments. This trend has been documented since 2010 with no evidence of improvement. Because state accountability formulas include proficiency scores and carry sanctions against districts that fail to meet proficiency thresholds, improved student performance in science is an important issue to school districts. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary teachers' perceptions about their students' science knowledge, the strategies used to teach science, the barriers affecting science teaching, and the self-efficacy beliefs teachers maintain for teaching science. This study, guided by Vygotsky's social constructivist theory and Bandura's concept of self-efficacy, was a bounded instrumental case study in which 15 participants, required to be teaching K-5 elementary science in the county, were interviewed. An analytic technique was used to review the qualitative interview data through open coding, clustering, and analytical coding resulting in identified categorical themes that addressed the research questions. Key findings reflect students' limited content knowledge in earth and physical science. Teachers identified barriers including limited science instructional time, poor curricular resources, few professional learning opportunities, concern about new state standards, and a lack of teaching confidence. To improve student content knowledge, teachers identified the need for professional development. The project is a professional development series provided by a regional education service agency for K-5 teachers to experience science and engineering 3-dimensional learning. Area students will demonstrate deeper science content knowledge and benefit from improved science instructional practice and learning opportunities to become science problem solvers and innovative contributors to society.
A Metaphor Analysis of Elementary Student Teachers' Conceptions of Teachers in Student- and Teacher-Centered Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duru, Sibel

2015-01-01

Problem Statement: Student teachers' beliefs and conceptions affect not only what and how they learn in teacher education programs, but also their future professional development in their teaching careers. Examining and understanding student teachers' beliefs and conceptions is therefore crucial to improving their professional preparation and…
Teacher Wellbeing: The Importance of Teacher-Student Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spilt, Jantine L.; Koomen, Helma M. Y.; Thijs, Jochem T.

2011-01-01

Many studies have examined the importance of teacher-student relationships for the development of children. Much less is known, however, about how these relationships impact the professional and personal lives of teachers. This review considers the importance of teacher-student relationships for the wellbeing of teachers starting from the…
Obama Finding Teacher Support Secure, If Tepid: Policy Rifts Complicate Obama-Teacher Dance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Alyson

2012-01-01

Ask Antonio White what he thinks of Race to the Top--President Barack Obama's signature K-12 initiative--and the Florida teacher will tell you the competitive-grant program is a "difficult pill to swallow." Merit pay for teachers based partly on student test scores is "a joke," he says. He's also not a fan of expanding charter…
The Effects of a Model Developmental Mathematics Program on Elementary and Middle School Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerber, Lindsey N.

2012-01-01

Teacher quality is instrumental in improving student performance. Unfortunately, discrepancies between teacher preparation programs and national and state K-12 student standards have contributed to the difficult task of producing quality teachers. The contemporary mathematics education paradigm used at most colleges and universities relies on…
Shipping: The World Connection. Student Guide and Teacher Guide. OEAGLS Investigation 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortner, Rosanne; Pauken, Ray

This unit investigates through three activities the importance of the Great Lakes in international trade. A student workbook and a teaching guide are provided. Included in the teacher's manual are an overview of the unit, a materials list, objectives, teaching suggestions, evaluation items, and answer keys to student activities. In the first…
Becoming a Teacher--Student Teachers' Learning Patterns in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahonen, Elsi; Pyhältö, Kirsi; Pietarinen, Janne; Soini, Tiina

2015-01-01

Student teacher learning is a key issue for further professional development. Literature on student teacher learning suggests that students learn about teaching and undergo professional transformation during their education. However, studies often focus on a certain time period and on how students should learn instead of how they actually do…
Seeing, Hearing, and Talking Race: Lessons for White Teachers from Four Teachers of Color

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michie, Gregory

2007-01-01

As student populations in K-12 schools in the United States continue to diversify and the teaching force remains largely White, cross-cultural teaching is an increasingly common phenomenon. In this article, a White teacher educator draws upon interviews with four teachers of color who work in Chicago public schools to examine ways White teachers…
Evaluation of the National Science Foundation Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

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

Chinese Teachers' Attributions and Coping Strategies for Student Classroom Misbehaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ding, Meixia; Li, Yeping; Li, Xiaobao; Kulm, Gerald

2010-01-01

In this study, we investigated Chinese teachers' attributions and coping strategies for classroom misbehaviour across grade levels. A total of 244 teachers (Grades 1-12) from the Chinese mainland participated in this survey. Results indicated that Chinese teachers first attributed misbehaviour to student characteristics, such as being "lazy,…
Using Student Success Skills to Address ASCA Behavior Standards in Grades K-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abel, Nicholas R.; Oliver, Brandie M.; Keller, Thomas J.; McAulay, Andrew; Piatek, Lisa

2016-01-01

This study evaluated relationships between a school counselor's implementation of the Student Success Skills (SSS) program with 203 students in grades K-3 and teacher ratings of student competency on five learning behaviors from the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success (American School Counselor Association, 2014). Using a paired…
Developing Young Researchers: 15 Years of Authentic Science Experiences for K-12 with NASA's S'COOL Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, L. H.; Crecelius, S.; Rogerson, T.; Lewis, P. M.; Moore, S.; Madigan, J. J.; Deller, C.; Taylor, J.

2012-12-01

In late 1996, members of the Atmospheric Science Directorate at NASA's Langley Research Center decided that there had to be a better way to share the excitement of our research than black and white, text-heavy Fact Sheets. We invited a group of local teachers to a half-day session on Center to help guide an improved approach. We suggested a variety of approaches to them, and asked for feedback. They were eager for anything other than black and white Fact Sheets! Fortunately, one local middle school science teacher took us up on the offer to stick around and talk over lunch. In that conversation, she said that anything that would connect the science her kids studied in the classroom to the outside world - especially to NASA! - would be very motivating to her students. From that conversation was born the Students' Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL Project), now a nearly 16-year experiment in K-12 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) engagement. S'COOL is the Education and Public Outreach (EPO) arm of the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project, and involves K-12 students as a source of ground truth for satellite cloud retrievals. It was designed from the beginning as a 2-way project, with communication of information from the students to NASA, but also from NASA back to the students. With technology evolution since the project began, we have continued to enhance this focus on 2-way interaction. S'COOL involves students with observation skills, math skills (to compute cloud cover from multiple observers or convert units), geography skills (locating their school on a map and comparing to satellite imagery), and exposes them to cutting edge engineering in the form of a series of NASA satellites. As a priority Earth Observing Instrument, CERES currently flies on Terra, Aqua and NPP, with an additional instrument in development for JPSS. Students are involved in occasional Intensive Observing Periods (as with the launch of NPP), and are
Learning to Collaborate: General and Special Educators in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellegrino, Anthony; Weiss, Margaret; Regan, Kelley

2015-01-01

One of the foremost challenges for K-12 teachers is to provide relevant learning experiences in an environment of increasing accountability and student diversity. This balance is particularly consequential for students with disabilities who rely on special and general education teachers to ensure access to and success within the general…
K-12th grade students as active contributors to research investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, Barrett N.; Lauten, Gary N.

1996-12-01

The Earth Day: Forest Watch Program at the University of New Hampshire utilizes morphological and anatomical measurements made on branch and needle samples from eastern white pine ( Pinus strobus), collected by K-12 students throughout New Hampshire and Maine. White pine is considered to be a bio-indicator species for ozone exposure. A University research project which monitors the response of white pine to elevated levels of tropospheric ozone has been developed by the authors, who incorporate student-made measurements such as needle length, occurrence of diagnostic foliar symptoms, needle retention, and cellular levels of damage, into an on-going project which characterizes conifer response to a variety of air pollutants. The research team compares classroom measurements with laboratory spectral reflectance measurements made on student-collected branch samples, and infers state-of-health conditions in white pine from the two-state area. These state-of-health data are, in turn, compared with State-monitored tropospheric ozone measurements on a yearly basis, resulting in change-over-time analysis of both regional ozone levels and relative levels of tree health. Based on the work to data (1991-1996), student-derived data have been found to correlate well with spectral parameters and with spatial patterns of summer ozone levels, suggesting that student measurements represent an accurate and reliable source of data for research scientists. Specific examples of student datasets and comparisons with reflectance data and how these can be used for Landsat data verification are presented, along with a discussion of the importance of being able to assess the accuracy of student data. Research scientists need to recognize the tremendous potential for access to reliable data represented by student data-collection programs such as Earth Day:Forest Watch.
Teacher Evaluation and Student Achievement. Student Assessment Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stronge, James H.; Tucker, Pamela D.

This book discusses four approaches to incorporating student achievement in teacher evaluation. Seven chapters discuss: (1) "Teacher Evaluation and Student Achievement: An Introduction to the Issues"; (2) "What is the Relationship between Teaching and Learning?" (e.g., whether teachers are responsible for student learning and…
Development and Evaluation of Food Safety Modules for K-12 Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapin, Travis K.; Pfuntner, Rachel C.; Stasiewicz, Matthew J.; Wiedmann, Martin; Orta-Ramirez, Alicia

2015-01-01

Career and educational opportunities in food science and food safety are underrecognized by K-12 students and educators. Additionally, misperceptions regarding nature of science understanding persist in K-12 students despite being emphasized as an important component of science education for over 100 y. In an effort to increase awareness…
Recommendations and Guidelines, The Incorporation of Results of Current Crustal Evolution Studies into K-12 Curricula. A Report of the National Association of Geology Teachers Conference on K-12 Crustal Evolution Education (Western Hills State Lodge, Oklahoma, September 16-18, 1974).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoever, Edward C., Jr.

The National Association of Geology Teachers (NAGT) conducted an assessment of the implications of current studies encompassing the theories of continental drift, polar wandering, sea-floor spreading, and plate tectonics to K-12 education, and presented in this document recommendations for the incorporation of these concepts into school curricula.…
Teacher's Guide: Social Studies, 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cortland-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Cortland, NY.

This teacher's guide, part of a K-12 sequential series, provides objectives and activities for students in grade 4. Five major sections focus on learning, inquiry, and discussion skills, concepts, and values and moral reasoning. Learning skills stress listening, speaking, viewing, reading, writing, map, and statistical abilities. Students role…
Teacher Ethnicity, Student Ethnicity, and Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driessen, Geert

2015-01-01

A review of the empirical literature was conducted to establish the relation between teacher and student ethnicity, and cognitive and noncognitive student outcomes. It was hypothesized that ethnic teacher-student congruence results in more favorable outcomes for especially minority students. A total of 24 quantitative studies focusing on primary…
Master of Science Teaching: Encouraging Teachers and their Students in Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiff, P. H.

2010-12-01

The Master of Science Teaching program is designed to encourage more content knowledge among teachers. Thirty credit hours are required, chosen from 12 hours of Earth science courses, 12 hours of space science courses, a chemistry course, a math course, and research or education credits. A thesis is not required but each teacher must have a special project (either research or curriculum). A number of students chose as their project using ground penetrating radar to look for buried graves in an African-American cemetery. Others became Heliospheric Ambassadors, Messenger Ambassadors, or PolarTrec teachers. Nineteen teachers have graduated as of 2010 with six presently in the program. A survey of the participants has fifteen responses so far, with a good mixture of responses from early in the program to present students. Many (69%) were grade 6-8 teachers when they entered the program. After earning their MST, many had increased their teaching level: (93% reported that it helped their career path, 39% have upgraded to administration or science supervision, and 53% reported receiving a better or higher level job position as a result). Only one student no longer teaches (completing a PhD in Administration). Given that 20% of the respondents are still in the program, two thirds of the alumni (8 of 12) have earned better jobs. All respondents said that they learned from both the Earth and space science courses, and all respondents (except the person no longer in the classroom) say they use the earth and space science material in the classrooms, with 80% "frequently" and 13% "sometimes". They also report that they are more likely to encourage their students to become scientists (80%), more likely to encourage their students to support NASA (93%), and think that their students are getting better scores on the state standardized tests (60%). It is certainly not easy for teachers to perform publishable research (although some have), and it is even more difficult for students
Best Practices in Administration of K-12 Dance Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henneman, Suzanne E.

2013-01-01

The role of administering K-12 dance education programs is both exciting and invigorating. Being part of the decision-making process, problem solving with teams of colleagues, establishing routines and initiatives, creating "something from nothing," and watching programs grow is appealing to dance teachers as creative and critical…
Innovative and Creative K-12 Engineering Strategies: Implications of Pre-Service Teacher Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mativo, John M.; Park, Jae H.

2012-01-01

This study sought to find student perceptions of how the engineering design process is learned and applied by pre-service teachers at the University of Georgia. The course description read "demonstration and hands-on learning, including problem solving, designing, construction and testing of prototypes, and activities that increase aesthetic,…
A Study of Students' Experiences regarding the Phenomenon of Teacher-to-Student Maltreatment in Grades 1-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Childers, Sherry Baker

2009-01-01

Much has been written about peer-to-peer maltreatment, but very little research has been conducted on the topic of teacher-to-student maltreatment. Numerous empirical studies have documented the importance of school climate upon academic achievement. The role a teacher plays in providing this nurturing and secure environment is vital. The purpose…
Explaining Technology Integration in K-12 Classrooms: A Multilevel Path Analysis Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Feng; Ritzhaupt, Albert D.; Dawson, Kara; Barron, Ann E.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research was to design and test a model of classroom technology integration in the context of K-12 schools. The proposed multilevel path analysis model includes teacher, contextual, and school related variables on a teacher's use of technology and confidence and comfort using technology as mediators of classroom technology…
Magnification concepts: The use of video-probe microscopy to stimulate excitement and hands-on discovery in the science classroom K-12

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

Henk, C.; Garner, J.; Wandersee, J.H.

1994-12-31

We acquired and loaned several durable, easy-to use, though expensive video-probe microscopes. This hand-held, automatically focusing instrument can be used by a five year old and provides instant, excellent, in-focus images up to 200X on a video screen visible to all students simultaneously. The teacher is thus freed from the technical and logistic considerations involved in conventional classroom microscopy. K-12 teachers preview our videotape on probe utilization. They assemble and demonstrate the unit in the presence of our personnel, then check out the probe for use in their own classrooms. Extremely enthusiastic students examine samples ranging from their own fingerprintsmore » and clothing (on TV!) to pond water, prepared microscope slides, and microscope polarizing light phenomena. Teachers report heightened interest in conventional microscope use once the {open_quotes}microscopy connection{close_quotes} has been made.« less
Making a Splash in Microgravity with Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wissel, Stephanie; Zwicker, Andrew; Merali, Aliya; Litman, Katherine; Williams, Bruce; West, David; Grom, Jonathan; Muneer, Haazim; Bandeh, Bocary; Courtney, Mary; Quinn, Maureen

2011-10-01

PPPL recently entered into a three-year Space Act Agreement with NASA to create a new K-12 research experience for teachers where they y an experiment on the ``Weightless Wonder''. One team comprises six teachers from the Trenton Public School District, ranging in focus from K-2 special education to 9-12 teachers, who were selected for their enthusiasm for science and desire to incorporate a research project into their curriculum. They conducted an experiment that observed the splashes resulting from the water entry of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic steel balls where the change in gravity affects the resulting splash dynamics. The program also requires concurrent curriculum development incorporating the project into their classes. The teachers and students from the same district will analyze the data and use inform the experiment to be own in 2012. We report on the results of the experiment, the subsequent implementation of the curricula, and the initial impact on the students.
Personality Similarity between Teachers and Their Students Influences Teacher Judgement of Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rausch, Tobias; Karing, Constance; Dörfler, Tobias; Artelt, Cordula

2016-01-01

This study examined personality similarity between teachers and their students and its impact on teacher judgement of student achievement in the domains of reading comprehension and mathematics. Personality similarity was quantified through intraclass correlations between personality characteristics of 409 dyads of German teachers and their…
Preparing Teachers of Young Children: The Current State of Knowledge, and a Blueprint for the Future. Part 1: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development in Grades K-12 and in Early Care and Education: Differences and Similarities, and Implications for Research. Policy Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitebook, Marcy; Gomby, Deanna; Bellm, Dan; Sakai, Laura; Kipnis, Fran

2009-01-01

When it comes to teacher preparation, the support provided to new teachers, and ongoing professional development for working teachers, Grades K-12 and the field of early care and education (ECE) are two very different worlds. While both worlds assume that teachers' classroom skills and behavior can be influenced at multiple points in time (through…
Earth Science for Educators: Preparing 7-12 Teachers for Standards-based, Inquiry Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sloan, H.

2002-05-01

"Earth Science for Educators" is an innovative, standards-based, graduate level teacher education curriculum that presents science content and pedagogic technique in parallel. The curriculum calls upon the resources and expertise of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) to prepare novice New York City teachers for teaching Earth Science. One of the goals of teacher education is to assure and facilitate science education reform through preparation of K-12 teachers who understand and are able to implement standard-based instruction. Standards reflect not only the content knowledge students are expected to attain but also the science skills and dispositions towards science they are expected to develop. Melding a list of standards with a curriculum outline to create inquiry-based classroom instruction that reaches a very diverse population of learners is extremely challenging. "Earth Science for Educators" helps novice teachers make the link between standards and practice by constantly connecting standards with instruction they receive and activities they carry out. Development of critical thinking and enthusiasm for inquiry is encouraged through engaging experience and contact with scientists and their work. Teachers are taught Earth systems science content through modeling of a wide variety of instruction and assessment methods based upon authentic scientific inquiry and aimed at different learning styles. Use of fieldwork and informal settings, such as the Museum, familiarizes novice teachers with ways of drawing on community resources for content and instructional settings. Metacognitive reflection that articulates standards, practice, and the teachers' own learning experience help draw out teachers' insights into their students' learning. The innovation of bring science content together with teaching methods is key to preparing teachers for standards-based, inquiry instruction. This curriculum was successfully piloted with a group of 28 novice teachers as

The K-12 Service-Learning Standards and Fourth Grade Students' Math Achievement: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Tanner

2017-01-01

The underachievement of students in the US is a growing and significant problem. When guided by the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice, research has shown service-learning results in increased academic achievement among middle and high school students. This study focused on identifying the impact of service learning interventions…
Changes in K-12 Education: Implications for the BC Post-Secondary System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McQuarrie, Fiona A. E.

2016-01-01

It is generally assumed by educators that the K-12 curriculum--the curriculum used in primary, elementary, and secondary education--will affect students' post-secondary educational experiences and their ability to enter the workforce. This report takes a multi-faceted approach to addressing the impact of changes in the K-12 curriculum on students'…
Development of an Automated System for Evaluation of Student Teacher Effectiveness. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chissom, Brad S.; Morris, John E.

The primary purpose of this project was to develop a system for the evaluation of student teachers employing automated data processing as an integral part of the system. This system employed data gathered from four sources: (1) Public School Pupils, Grades 7-12; (2) Student Teachers; (3) Supervising Teachers; (4) College Supervisors. The emphasis…
Creating Sacred Places for Students in Grades 9-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Sandra J.

This guide attempts to help teachers of American Indian students in grades 9-12 provide a culturally relevant education that takes place in the regular classroom, includes content related to Indian students' lives, makes students proud, expands to other experiences, and enhances learning. Creating sacred places means responding appropriately to…
Correlation between Students' Self-Efficacy and Teachers' Educational Leadership Style in Iranian Midwifery Students.

PubMed

Sohrabi, Zohreh; Kheirkhah, Masoomeh; Sahebzad, Elahe Sadegi; Rasoulighasemlouei, Seyedehsahel; Khavandi, Siamak

2015-12-18

Self-efficacy is believe in and feeling of ability to complete work. One of these factors is educational teachers ' role. This study aimed to determine relationship between teachers' leadership style and students' self-efficacy in midwifery students. This Study is a cross sectional correlation study. Sampling was conducted in midwifery students in Bachelor Science degree in 2013. Data collection tools were multi leadership questionnaire and self-efficacy clinical performance. After explaining the goals of study, 97 students completed the questionnaire. Scoring the questionnaire was based on a Liker's scale (0-5).Data were analyzed by SPSS 16. Correlation coefficient test was adopted to investigate the relationship and p value was considered 0.05. Mean of self-efficacy scores were 116.12 (24.66.). In 53.3% of the cases, self-efficacy was good, in 42.2% moderate and in 4.3%, it was bad. The majority of the students (88.9%) reported that their teachers had an idealized style in leadership. About 94.6% of the students with good self- efficacy believed that their teachers' leadership style was transformational style. There was a significant correlation between self- efficacy and leadership style (p<0.05). Results showed that transformational style is appropriate for midwifery teachers.
A Study of the Relationship of Perceived Principal Supervision and Support to the Perceived Self-Efficacy of Beginning and Experienced K-12 Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spearing, Leonard M.

2013-01-01

In this quantitative study the author examined the relationship between the perceived level of principal supervision and support to the perceived self-efficacy of K-12 teachers in a suburban public school district. The impact of perceived self-efficacy upon the commitment to remain in teaching was also considered. Finally the differential…
Distributed but Undefined: New Teacher Leader Roles to Change Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margolis, Jason; Huggins, Kristin Shawn

2012-01-01

This article examines teacher leader role development and definition by looking at one emergent model of distributed leadership: the hybrid teacher leader (HTL). HTLs are teachers whose official schedule includes both teaching K-12 students and leading teachers in some capacity. Participants included six HTLs across four school districts over 2…
Teacher-Student Relationship and Facebook-Mediated Communication: Student Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hershkovzt, Arnon; Forkosh-Baruch, Alona

2017-01-01

Student-teacher relationships are vital to successful learning and teaching. Today, communication between students and teachers, a major component through which these relationships are facilitated, is taking place via social networking sites (SNS). In this study, we examined the associations between student-teacher relationship and student-teacher…
Teacher Justice and Students' Class Identification: Belief in a Just World and Teacher-Student Relationship as Mediators.

PubMed

Jiang, Ronghuan; Liu, Ru-De; Ding, Yi; Zhen, Rui; Sun, Yan; Fu, Xinchen

2018-01-01

For school-age adolescents, teacher justice plays an important role in their learning and social outcomes. The present study examined the relation between teacher justice and students' class identification in 1735 Chinese school-age adolescents by considering belief in a just world (BJW) and teacher-student relationship as mediators. Structure equation modeling (SEM) was used to reveal the direct and indirect effects. The analyses showed that all the direct and indirect effects were significant. These findings indicated that teacher justice had a positive effect on students' class identification. In addition, teacher justice impacted students' class identification through students' just-world belief and teacher-student relationships. These results suggested that for adolescents, teacher justice played an important role in shaping their just-world belief system and their interpersonal relationships with teachers, which in turn affected their sense of belonging and values in relation to their class. Thus, it is important for teachers to be aware that their injustice may negatively impact their relationships with students, students' belief systems, and their psychological engagement at school. There is a need to develop teacher-training programs to help teachers to establish classroom reward-punishment systems with the consideration of social justice, to communicate with students through an unbiased approach, and to increase student participation in the important decision making of the whole class.
Teachers' Curriculum Guide to the Hayward Shoreline, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachle, Leo; And Others

This teaching guide gives environmental education ideas for grades K-12. The field trips and activities all relate to the Hayward shoreline of the San Francisco, California, Bay. Included in the guide are 44 science activities, 15 social science activities, and 18 humanities activities. Each activity description gives the experience level, site…
Middle School Teachers' Expectations of Organizational Behaviors of Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMullen, Rebecca C.; Shippen, Margaret E.; Dangel, Harry L.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the specific classroom organizational behaviors that middle school inclusive teachers report as expectations for students with learning disabilities. Practicing middle school science and social studies teachers (n = 12) responded to a survey about organization behaviors of students with learning…
Let Us Speak: Chicana Teachers on Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyes McGovern, Elexia

2013-01-01

This study centers the lived experiences of Chicana K-12 teachers from Southern California who see themselves with defined ethnic and political identities, and view Students of Color from an assets-based perspective. The dissertation documents how Chicana teachers explain connections between their life experiences and classroom practices. Through…
Technological Collaborations: K-12 and Higher Education. Fastback 438.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Kay McPherson; Kopp, O. W.

This brief report examines various ways in which K-12 schools and institutions of higher education can collaborate to effect critical changes in teaching and learning through the use of computers. The first section briefly reviews the history of computer use in education, noting such critical needs as teacher training, and reviews the…
Spitzer Space Telescope Research Program for Teachers and Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daou, D.

2005-12-01

The Spitzer Science Center (SSC) and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) have designed a program for teacher and student research using observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The participating teachers attended a fall, 2004 workshop to become familiar with the Spitzer Space Telescope (SST) archives, and to receive training in infrared astronomy and observational techniques. The teachers also attended a workshop offered by the SSC to learn about the observation planning process, and telescope and instrument capabilities. This program has as its goals the fundamental NASA goals of inspiring and motivating students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery. Our educational plan addresses the NASA objectives of improving student proficiency in science and improving science instruction by providing a unique opportunity to a group of teachers and students to observe with the Spitzer Space Telescope and work on their data with SSC and NOAO scientists. This program allows a team of 12 teachers and their students to utilize up to 3.5 hours of Director's discretionary observing time on the Spitzer Space Telescope for educational observations. Leveraging on a well-established teacher professional development, the SSC is offering this program to teachers in the Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education (TLRRBSE), an ongoing program at the NOAO. This NSF-sponsored program touches the formal education community through a national audience of well-trained and supported middle and high school teachers.
Teacher Role Breadth and its Relationship to Student-Reported Teacher Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillippo, Kate L.; Stone, Susan

2013-01-01

This study capitalizes on a unique, nested data set comprised of students ("n" = 531) and teachers ("n" = 45) in three high schools that explicitly incorporated student support roles into teachers' job descriptions. Drawing from research on student-teacher relationships, teacher effects on student outcomes, and role theory,…
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science and Children, 2002

2002-01-01

Introduces a list of outstanding science trade books for grade levels K-12 in the areas of Archaeology, Anthropology, Paleontology, Biography, Life Sciences, Integrated Science, Physical Science, Science Related Careers, and Technology and Engineering. Includes information on the selection process. (YDS)
Effective Teachers: Perceptions of Native American Students in Rural Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prater, Greg; And Others

This paper examines perceptions of Native American students regarding effective practices of non-Native teachers. A survey of students in grades 3-12 in 3 rural school districts on the Navajo Reservation (Arizona) questioned 148 Navajo students and 10 non-Native students. The sample included 28 special needs students (17.7 percent). The survey…
UTIG's Contributions to Seismology in K-12 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellins, K. K.

2004-12-01

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) conducts research in many areas of seismology, including the study of earthquakes, the structure of Earth's interior and targeted geologic settings, and the development of methods to monitor nuclear explosions. In addition, UTIG scientists engage in educational outreach that takes seismology and its applications into K-12 classrooms. Activities include (1) the development of standards-aligned, inquiry-based curriculum materials that use real seismic data to convey concepts in earthquake seismology and which introduce modern technologies based on the principles of seismology; (2) a year-long teacher professional development institute that incorporates seismology and teacher workshops at which scientists, GK-12 Fellows and teachers team up to deliver science content and learning activities; and (3) a "Teacher in the Field" program through which teachers have participated in marine geophysical cruises to study tectonic processes in the Bransfield Strait, Hess Deep, Terror Rift in the Ross Sea, the southeastern Caribbean, and the Blanco Fracture Zone. UTIG has supported these efforts through grants from the NSF and state agencies, and by partnering with other programs and organizations. For example, teacher workshops were organized around public lectures by IRIS/SSA Distinguished Speakers Roger Bilham (Global Death and Construction: Earthquakes on an Urban Planet) and David Wald (Rapid Earthquake Information: Citizen Science and New Tools for Emergency Response) and presented as part of The University of Texas Environmental Science Institute Outreach Lecture Series.
Teaching Online across State Lines. Keeping Pace with K-12 Digital Learning. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, John; Murin, Amy; Pape, Larry

2014-01-01

Among the ways in which states attempt to ensure quality in K-12 education is by requiring that most teachers in public schools be licensed via state-level requirements that vary by state. This patchwork of requirements has not been a problem for most teachers over the last century, because so few teachers taught in multiple states concurrently.…
Evaluating the Performance of Online K-12 Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Dick; Kafer, Krista; Reeser, Kelly; Shafer, Sheryl

2015-01-01

This article examines K-12 online student and school performance across an entire state (Colorado) in the United States through two comparisons. First, state assessment scores of students in online schools are compared to those in traditional brick and mortar schools. Second, the accountability scores of online schools are compared to those of…

An Investigation of Factors Influencing Student Use of Technology in K-12 Classrooms Using Path Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritzhaupt, Albert D.; Dawson, Kara; Cavanaugh, Cathy

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of teachers' characteristics, school characteristics, and contextual characteristics on classroom technology integration and teacher use of technology as mediators of student use of technology. A research-based path model was designed and tested based on data gathered from 732 teachers from…
Can Behaviorism Save Teacher Education? Teacher Education Forum; Volume 3, Number 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groff, Patrick

Competency Based Teacher Education (CBTE) proposes changes in the traditional teacher education system, which include establishing behavioral objectives for student teachers and modifying basic teaching tools that all students must learn to master. CBTE also proposes that teachers colleges be conducted without failure. Critics of CBTE question the…
Two-year colleges, Physics, and Teacher Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, Keith

2002-05-01

In the midst of a teacher shortage no field suffers more than physics. Half of our secondary physics teachers have less than a minor in physics. Meanwhile half of our future teachers start out at two-year colleges with physicists on staff. The opportunity for community colleges to have an impact on K-12 teaching is tremendous. Project TEACH has been honored as an outstanding teacher preparation program. It is a collaboration of colleges and K-12 schools dedicated to the improvement of teacher preparation, especially in science and math. Based at Green River Community College, Project TEACH unites certification institutions, community colleges, and K-12 school districts in the pre-service and in-service training of teachers. Activities of Project TEACH include recruitment and advising of future teachers, field experience for education students, creation of pre-teaching and para-educator degrees, tutoring from elementary school through college, in-service courses for current teachers, and special math and science courses aimed at future teachers. The yearlong interdisciplinary science sequence blends chemistry, physics, geology, and biology in a hands-on inquiry-based environment. The yearlong math sequence covers arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and probability with inquiry-based pedagogy. The programs developed by Project TEACH are being disseminated to colleges across Washington State and beyond.
Education Imperatives for Ohio: K-12 Policy Priorities for the Next Biennium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, 2010

2010-01-01

For the past two decades, lawmakers from both parties in Ohio have invested heavily in the public education sector. As a consequence, total K-12 education funding, measured in constant dollars, has grown by over 60 percent since 1997, even as Ohio's K-12 student enrollment has shrunk by more than 24,000 students (1.4 percent) during that same…
Teacher Directed Behavior Toward Individual Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oien, Fred M.

A study of five teachers and 316 junior high school physical education students reveals an unequal distribution of positive reinforcement teacher behavior among individual students. Factors influencing the amount of rewarding behavior directed to students include elements such as student gender, teacher perception of student skill level, student…
Role of Teacher Educational Institutions in Developing Personality of Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prakash, Srinivasan; Xavier S. J., S. Amaladoss

2014-01-01

Teacher Education is an integral part of any educational system. It should provide a platform in developing the holistic personality of a student teacher. This paper reports on personality of student teachers and the role of Teacher Educational institutions in developing it. The sample consists of 1,080 student teachers of Madurai revenue…
Burnout among Teachers: Students' and Teachers' Perceptions Compared

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evers, Will J. G.; Tomic, Welko; Brouwers, Andre

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore students' and teachers' perceptions of teacher burnout in relation to the occurrence of disruptive student classroom behaviour and the teachers' competence to cope with this kind of behaviour. First, the study shows that the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Coping with Disruptive Behaviour Scale and the Perceived…
Cool Science: K-12 Climate Change Art Displayed on Buses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, R. F.; Lustick, D. S.; Lohmeier, J.; Thompson, S. R.

2015-12-01

Cool science is an art contest where K12 students create placards (7" x 22") to educate the public about climate change. Students are prompted to create their artwork in response to questions such as: What is the evidence for climate change? How does climate change impact your local community? What can you do to reduce the impacts of climate change? In each of three years, 500-600 student entrees have been submitted from more than 12 school districts across Massachusetts. A panel of judges including scientists, artists, rapid transit representatives, and educators chooses elementary, middle, and high school winners. Winners (6), runners-up (6), and honorable mentions (12) and their families and teachers are invited to an annual Cool Science Award Ceremony to be recognized and view winning artwork. All winning artwork is posted on the Cool Science website. The winning artwork (2 per grade band) is converted into placards (11" x 28") and posters (2.5' x 12') that are placed on the inside (placards) and outside (posters) of buses. Posters are displayed for one month. So far, Cool Science was implemented in Lowell, MA where over 5000 public viewers see the posters daily on the sides of Lowell Rapid Transit Authority (LRTA) buses, making approximately 1,000,000 impressions per year. Cool Science acts to increase climate literacy in children as well as the public, and as such promotes intergenerational learning. Using art in conjunction with science learning about climate change appears to be effective at engaging not just traditionally high achieving science students, but also those interested in the creative arts. Hearing winners' stories about how they created their artwork and what this contest meant to them supports the idea that Cool Science attracts a wide diversity of students. Parents discuss climate change with their children. Multiple press releases announcing the winners further promotes the awareness of climate change throughout school districts and their
Student Teachers' Levels of Understanding and Model of Understanding about Newton's Laws of Motion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saglam-Arslan, Aysegul; Devecioglu, Yasemin

2010-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the level of student teachers' understandings of Newton's laws of motion and relating these levels to identify student teachers' models of understanding. An achievement test composed of two parts comprising 12 open ended questions was constructed and given to 45 pre-service classroom teachers. The first part…
Riding light in the minority communities and how K-12 students can shine in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gueye, Paul

2010-03-01

The National Society of Black Physicists, along with the National Society of Hispanic Physicists, has been reaching out to the minority K-12 population by revolutionizing its Science Ambassador program under its Pre-College Program Committee. Since 2005, both societies have been providing unique interactive physics demonstrations to predominantly minority schools to expose them to the exciting world of physics. In a four year span, the population of targeted students went from 25 (2005) to 400 (2009). During the 2009 joint annual meeting, a Physics Day camp was introduced during which eight physics societies combined their efforts to reach to a larger group of students in a short time period. This initiative has now tackled the unique feature to expand nationally by reaching out to the members of all physics societies. While the world of optics has been an integral part of the demonstrations being performed on stage or at individual booths, physics concepts and its applications in medical physics (such as imaging or therapy) is the focus of the 2010 effort as part of LaserFest. This talk will review the impact of this program in the minority community and the importance of physics department at minority institutions in changing the conception of science in K-12 arenas.
Teaching At-Risk Students in the K-4 Classroom: Language, Literacy, Learning. Bill Harp Professional Teachers Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stice, Carole F., Ed.; Bertrand, John E., Ed.

Written for prospective and beginning early elementary grade teachers, especially those who work with large numbers of high risk students, the essays in this book provide in-depth looks into teachers' successful literacy and content rich classrooms as they come to know the characteristics and plan for the needs of individual students. The book…
Role of Teacher Educational Institutions in Developing Personality of Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prakash, S.; Xavier, S. Amaladoss

2014-01-01

Teacher Education is an integral part of any educational system. It should provide a platform in developing the holistic personality of a student teacher. This paper reports on personality of student teachers and the role of Teacher Educational institutions in developing it. The sample consists of 1080 student teachers of Madurai revenue district.…
Reasons for Student Dropout in an Online Course in a Rural K-12 Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de la Varre, Claire; Irvin, Matthew J.; Jordan, Adam W.; Hannum, Wallace H.; Farmer, Thomas W.

2014-01-01

Rural schools in the USA use online courses to overcome problems such as attracting and retaining teachers, geographic isolation, low student enrollment, and financial constraints. This paper reports on the reasons that 39% of rural high school students who enrolled in an online Advanced Placement course subsequently dropped the course. Students…
Increasing participation in the Earth sciences through engagement of K-12 educators in Earth system science analysis, inquiry and problem- based learning and teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burrell, S.

2012-12-01

Given low course enrollment in geoscience courses, retention in undergraduate geoscience courses, and granting of BA and advanced degrees in the Earth sciences an effective strategy to increase participation in this field is necessary. In response, as K-12 education is a conduit to college education and the future workforce, Earth science education at the K-12 level was targeted with the development of teacher professional development around Earth system science, inquiry and problem-based learning. An NSF, NOAA and NASA funded effort through the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies led to the development of the Earth System Science Educational Alliance (ESSEA) and dissemination of interdisciplinary Earth science content modules accessible to the public and educators. These modules formed the basis for two teacher workshops, two graduate level courses for in-service teachers and two university course for undergraduate teacher candidates. Data from all three models will be presented with emphasis on the teacher workshop. Essential components of the workshop model include: teaching and modeling Earth system science analysis; teacher development of interdisciplinary, problem-based academic units for implementation in the classroom; teacher collaboration; daily workshop evaluations; classroom observations; follow-up collaborative meetings/think tanks; and the building of an on-line professional community for continued communication and exchange of best practices. Preliminary data indicate increased understanding of Earth system science, proficiency with Earth system science analysis, and renewed interest in innovative delivery of content amongst teachers. Teacher-participants reported increased student engagement in learning with the implementation of problem-based investigations in Earth science and Earth system science thinking in the classroom, however, increased enthusiasm of the teacher acted as a contributing factor. Teacher feedback on open
The Student-Teacher Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechty, Phillip C.; Atwood, Helen E.

1977-01-01

Possible bases for student influence over teachers are examined. Since teachers cannot avoid being influenced by students, it is important for them to consciously select the kinds of influence efforts to which they will respond. (MJB)
Enriching Student Teaching Relationships. Student Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clothier, Grant; Kingsley, Elizabeth

This document seeks to enable student teachers to deal more effectively with their cooperating teachers. The student teaching situation can be a time of stress for the student because of the abrupt change to near-professional status, the experience of being closely supervised by another person in foreign territory, and the knowledge that his…
Using Data Mining to Predict K-12 Students' Performance on Large-Scale Assessment Items Related to Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Xiufeng; Ruiz, Miguel E.

2008-01-01

This article reports a study on using data mining to predict K-12 students' competence levels on test items related to energy. Data sources are the 1995 Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 1999 TIMSS-Repeat, 2003 Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and the National Assessment of Educational…
Teachers' Motivating Methods to Support Thai Ninth Grade Students' Levels of Motivation and Learning in Mathematics Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nenthien, Sansanee; Loima, Jyrki

2016-01-01

The aims of this qualitative research were to investigate the level of motivation and learning of ninth grade students in mathematics classrooms in Thailand and to reveal how the teachers supported students' levels of motivation and learning. The participants were 333 students and 12 teachers in 12 mathematics classrooms from four regions of…
Problem-Based Learning in the Life Science Classroom, K-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConnell, Tom; Parker, Joyce; Eberhardt, Janet

2016-01-01

"Problem-Based Learning in the Life Science Classroom, K-12" offers a great new way to ignite your creativity. Authors Tom McConnell, Joyce Parker, and Janet Eberhardt show you how to engage students with scenarios that represent real-world science in all its messy, thought-provoking glory. The scenarios prompt K-12 learners to immerse…
Unstable Ground: Unearthing the Realities of Experiential Education in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glazier, Jocelyn; Bolick, Cheryl; Stutts, Christoph

2017-01-01

Experiential education (EE) leads to positive outcomes for K-12 students; however, such practice remains on the periphery of schools. One key to centering EE in classrooms is to do so in teacher education. This study explores what it means to delve into EE as teacher educators alongside our students in field sites far removed from traditional…

An administrative concern: Science teachers' instructional efficacy beliefs regarding racially, culturally, economically, and linguistically diverse student populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuck Bonner, Natalie Christine

A teacher's sense of {instructional} efficacy has been considered a critical variable in student academic performance. Researchers Tschannen-Moran and Hoy Woolfolk (2001, p.783) defined teachers' {instructional} efficacy as a teacher's judgment of his or her capabilities to bring about desired outcomes of student engagement and learning, even among those students who may be difficult or unmotivated. There has been a substantial amount of research which reveals a strong correlation among teacher efficacy, teaching performance, and student achievement (Goddard & Goddard, et.al., 2000; Hackett; Hackett, 1995; Pajares, 1997 as cited in Villereal, 2005). This research study explored the content area of science and teacher's personal perception of their competency level in teaching science to all learners regardless of socio-economic, ethnicity/race or gender for grade levels Pre-K to 12. Lewthwaite states that a science teacher's personal teacher attributes or intrinsic factors such as science teaching self-efficacy, professional science knowledge, science teaching, instructional methodologies, interest in science, and motivation to teach science are critical dimensions and noted barriers in the delivery of science programs on elementary level campuses (Lewthwaite, Stableford & Fisher, 2001). This study focused on teacher instructional efficacy issues which may affect diverse learners' classroom and state-mandated assessment academic performance outcomes. A SPSS analysis of data was obtained from the following teacher survey instruments: The Bandura Teacher Efficacy Scale, the SEBEST, and the SETAKIST. Research findings revealed that a majority of science teachers surveyed believe they can effectively teach learners of diverse backgrounds, but responded with a sense of lower efficaciousness in teaching English Language Learners. There was also a statistically significant difference found between a state science organization and a national science organization
Infrared Astronomy Professional Development for K-12 Educators: WISE Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borders, Kareen; Mendez, B. M.

2010-01-01

K-12 educators need effective and relevant astronomy professional development. WISE Telescope (Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer) and Spitzer Space Telescope Education programs provided an immersive teacher professional development workshop at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico during the summer of 2009. As many common misconceptions involve scale and distance, teachers worked with Moon/Earth scale, solar system scale, and distance of objects in the universe. Teachers built and used basic telescopes, learned about the history of telescopes, explored ground and satellite based telescopes, and explored and worked on models of WISE Telescope. An in-depth explanation of WISE and Spitzer telescopes gave participants background knowledge for infrared astronomy observations. We taught the electromagnetic spectrum through interactive stations. The stations included an overview via lecture and power point, the use of ultraviolet beads to determine ultraviolet exposure, the study of WISE lenticulars and diagramming of infrared data, listening to light by using speakers hooked up to photoreceptor cells, looking at visible light through diffraction glasses and diagramming the data, protocols for using astronomy based research in the classroom, and infrared thermometers to compare environmental conditions around the observatory. An overview of LIDAR physics was followed up by a simulated LIDAR mapping of the topography of Mars. We will outline specific steps for K-12 infrared astronomy professional development, provide data demonstrating the impact of the above professional development on educator understanding and classroom use, and detail future plans for additional K-12 professional development. Funding was provided by WISE Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, Starbucks, Arecibo Observatory, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Washington Space Grant Consortium.
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Scope, 2002

2002-01-01

Presents a list of outstanding science trade books published in 2001 for use in the K-12 grade levels. Includes the areas of archaeology, anthropology, and paleontology; biography; life sciences; integrated science; physical sciences; science related careers; and technology and engineering. Provides information on the books and the selection…
Challenging Science and Literacy Activities for K-9 Students--The Cricket Chronicles. Teacher Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Catherine E.

2006-01-01

This book is an extensive integrated unit of study focused on that common and familiar insect--the cricket. In this edition, teachers are given a complete guide and reproducible worksheets for elementary and middle school students. With over 30 different activities on crickets, students learn science content and skills including: (1) Taxonomy; (2)…
Investigating the Potential of MOOCs in K-12 Teaching and Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nigh, Jennifer; Pytash, Kristine E.; Ferdig, Richard E.; Merchant, William

2015-01-01

The massive open online course (MOOC) is a relatively new concept in K-12 teaching and learning environments. Although significant work has been done with MOOCs since 2008, it has only been recently that MOOCs have been studied with K-12 populations. The purpose of this study was to further examine the motivation of K-12 students enrolled in a…
Breaking Down Barriers: Addressing student misconceptions in the K-12 classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenhamer, B.; McCallister, J. D.; Knisely, L.

2004-05-01

A typical astronomy question an educator may ask their students is "What is a black hole?" Many times, students' responses sound more like an episode of Star Trek than an understanding about the universe and how it works: responses such as "Black holes are worm holes in space" or "A black hole is a huge vacuum in space, sucking everything in". These are all common astronomy misconceptions about black holes. A misconception is defined as a preconceived notion of how the world, or in the case of astronomy - the universe, works. Misconceptions may originate for a variety of reasons, from miscommunication, to oversimplification, to misrepresentation via the media or pop culture. Students who latch on to an astronomy misconception may have difficulty learning new information that is built upon the existing misconception. Additionally, educators who are not able to identify and address misconceptions can create learning barriers that may resonate throughout a students' life. This poster will introduce some of the extensive research that has gone into determining typical student misconceptions about astronomy, ways to identify them, and how students develop them. The poster will also explain why teachers need to be aware of ideas and concepts students may harbor as well as how misconceptions can be remedied.
Barriers in the Physics Pipeline from K-12 to Tenure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilburn, Micha

2016-09-01

The lack of diversity in physics is a known problem, and yet efforts to change our demographics have only had minor effects during the last decade. I will explain some of the hidden barriers that dissuade underrepresented minorities in becoming physicists using a framework borrowed from sociology, Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I will draw from current research at the undergraduate to faculty levels over a variety of STEM fields that are also addressing a lack of diversity. I will also provide analysis from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics Center for the Evolution of Elements (JINA-CEE) outreach programs to understand the likelihood of current K-12 students in becoming physicists. Specifically, I will present results from the pre-surveys from our Art 2 Science Camps (ages 8-14) about their attitudes towards science as well as results from analysis of teacher recommendations for our high school summer program. I will conclude with a positive outlook describing the pipeline created by JINA-CEE to retain students from middle school through college. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. PHY-1430152 (JINA Center for the Evolution of the Elements).
Discrete Mathematics in Deaf Education: A Survey of Teachers' Knowledge and Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pagliaro, C.; Kritzer, K. L.

2005-01-01

The study documents what deaf education teachers know about discrete mathematics topics and determines if these topics are present in the mathematics curriculum. Survey data were collected from 290 mathematics teachers at center and public school programs serving a minimum of 120 students with hearing loss, grades K-8 or K-12, in the United…
Teacher Stress: A Descriptive Study of the Concerns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dedrick, Charles V.; And Others

1981-01-01

A recent survey of K-12 teachers in a middle-sized midwestern school system sought to identify the stressful conditions of the teaching profession as perceived by teachers. Women ranked lack of time as the greatest source of stress while men ranked disruptive students as the most stressful condition. (Author/WD)
Developing HALM Teaching Competencies in PETE Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Carol; Prusak, Keven; Zanandrea, Maria

2018-01-01

The lifetime activities approach, which grew out of the lifetime physical activity model, has informed the practice of one physical education teacher education (PETE) program as it prepares teacher candidates to teach K-12 students about the importance of health, health-related fitness, and physical activity. Health-enhancing behaviors such as…
The Relationship between per Pupil Expenditure in Maricopa County K-12 Public School Districts and Student Preparedness at the Post-Secondary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamperez, Edmond Allen, Jr.; Dereshiwsky, Mary

2016-01-01

Student under preparedness is one of the major challenges facing community colleges in the United States. A contributing factor of student under preparedness at the postsecondary level is an inequitable and inadequate distribution of resources at the K-12 level. Students residing in socio-economically disadvantaged school districts that often…
Social Networking for the K-12 Set

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Jim

2008-01-01

Education technology leaders are ever seeking new ways to eliminate the traditional social and geographic boundaries that hinder communication and collaboration for both K-12 students and educators. Larger districts with geographically dispersed schools often find that innovative ideas for technology use and integration are balkanized into…
A program to enhance k-12 science education in ten rural New York school districts.

PubMed

Goodell, E; Visco, R; Pollock, P

1999-04-01

The Rural Partnership for Science Education, designed by educators and scientists in 1991 with funding from the National Institutes of Health, works in two rural New York State counties with students and their teachers from kindergarten through grade 12 to improve pre-college science education. The Partnership is an alliance among ten rural New York school districts and several New York State institutions (e.g., a regional academic medical center; the New York Academy of Sciences; and others), and has activities that involve around 4,800 students and 240 teachers each year. The authors describe the program's activities (e.g., summer workshops for teachers; science exploration camps for elementary and middle-school students; enrichment activities for high school students). A certified science education specialist directs classroom demonstrations throughout the academic year to support teachers' efforts to integrate hands-on activities into the science curriculum. A variety of evaluations over the years provides strong evidence of the program's effectiveness in promoting students' and teachers' interest in science. The long-term goal of the Partnership is to inspire more rural students to work hard, learn science, and enter the medical professions.
Student and Teacher Perceptions of Teacher Immediacy Behaviors and the Influence of Teacher Immediacy Behaviors on Student Motivation to Learn Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Littlejohn, Vania

The National Assessment on Educational Progress signals that American students are not being adequately prepared to compete globally in an ever changing scientific society. As a result, legislation mandated that all students be assessed and show proficiency in scientific literacy beginning in Grade 4 with the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 2002 also known as No Child Left Behind. Research indicates a disturbing decline in the number of U.S. students pursuing more rigorous science courses in high school, majoring in scientific areas in college, and choosing future careers in science. With a need to improve science instruction and enhance science literacy for all students, this study focuses on immediate communication behaviors of the classroom teacher as a deciding factor in the opinions of high school students towards science. The purpose of this study was to reveal high school science student perceptions of teacher communication patterns, both verbal and nonverbal, and how they influence their motivation to learn science. The researcher utilized a nonexperimental, quantitative research design to guide this study. Teacher and student data were collected using the Teacher Communication Behavior Questionnaire (TCBQ). The Student Motivation to Learn Instrument (SMLI) across gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status survey was used to evaluate student motivation in science. Participants were encouraged to be honest in reporting and sharing information concerning teacher communication behaviors. The data revealed that teacher immediacy behaviors, both verbal and nonverbal, were perceived differently in terms of student gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class. The results showed that teachers who display positive communication behaviors and use challenging questioning followed with positive responses create pathways to potentially powerful relationships. These relationships between teachers and students can lead to increased student
An Analysis of the Curriculum Requirements for K-12 Online Teaching Endorsements in the U.S.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAllister, Laura; Graham, Charles R.

2016-01-01

This study examined existing K-12 online teacher preparation programs in the United States to ascertain the degree to which teachers are prepared to function in online/blended classroom learning environments. This study used a content analysis approach. Research specifically targeted online teacher preparation programs implemented in institutions…
Student Perceptions of Their Biology Teacher's Interpersonal Teaching Behaviors and Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madike, Victor N.

Inadequate student-teacher interactions in undergraduate courses have been linked to poor student performance. Researchers have noted that students' perceptions of student-teacher relationships may be an important factor related to student performance. The administration of a Mid-Atlantic community college prioritized increasing undergraduate biology student performance. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between students' biology achievement and their perceptions of interpersonal teaching behaviors and student-teacher interactions in introductory biology courses. Leary's theory on interpersonal communication and the systems communication theory of Watzlawick, Beavin, and Jackson served as the theoretical foundation. The Wubbel's Likert-scale questionnaire on student-teacher interactions was administered to 318 undergraduate biology students. Non-parametric Spearman's rank correlations revealed a significant direct correlation between students' grades and their perceptions of teachers' interpersonal teaching behaviors. The relationship between student achievement and students' perceptions of student-teacher interactions prompted the recommendation for additional study on the importance of student-teacher interactions in undergraduate programs. A recommendation for local practice included faculty development on strategies for improving student-teacher interactions. The study's implications for positive social change include increased understanding for administrators and instructors on the importance of teacher-student interactions at the community college level.
A Vision in Aeronautics: The K-12 Wind Tunnel Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

A Vision in Aeronautics, a project within the NASA Lewis Research Center's Information Infrastructure Technologies and Applications (IITA) K-12 Program, employs small-scale, subsonic wind tunnels to inspire students to explore the world of aeronautics and computers. Recently, two educational K-12 wind tunnels were built in the Cleveland area. During the 1995-1996 school year, preliminary testing occurred in both tunnels.
Understanding the racial perspectives of White student teachers who teach Black students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKay, Trinna S.

Statement of the problem. Most student teachers successfully complete their educational programs; however, some continue to express concern about becoming an actual practicing teacher. One of these concerns deals with White teachers interactions with Black students. This study investigated White student teachers' perceptions of teaching Black students. In particular, the study examined the racial perceptions student teachers expressed about being a White person in a racially diverse school and examined the student teachers' perceptions on race. The following questions guided the study: (1) What are the perceptions of White student teachers concerning being White? (2) What are the perceptions of White student teachers on teaching science to Black students in a racially diverse secondary school? (3) What recommendations can White student teachers give to teacher education programs concerning the teaching of Black students? Methods. Semi-structured interviews, personal profiles and reflective journals were used as the means for collecting data. All three sources of data were used to understand the racial perceptions of each student teacher. Analysis of the data began with the identification of codes and categories that later developed into themes. Cross analyses between the data sources, and cross analysis between participants' individual data were conducted. The use of semi-structured interview, personal profiles, and reflective journals provided in-depth descriptions of the participants' racial perceptions. These data sources were used to confirm data and to show how student teaching experiences helped to shape their racial perceptions. Results. Data analysis revealed three themes, various life experiences, variety of opinions related to teaching Black students, and limited recommendations to teacher education programs. Although all teachers remained at the contact stage of the White racial identity model (Helms, 1990), they were open to dialogue about race. The
Assessing Teacher and Student Effects of the Research Goes to School Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kararo, Alex T.

There have been calls by the Federal government and policymakers for improvements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through the development of excellent teachers with the content knowledge and skills to teach and motivate students. A shared goal among teacher professional development (PD) programs is to improve students' learning outcomes through changes in teachers' classroom practices. One way to address classroom practice is by studying pedagogical content knowledge and skill (PCK&S), which is the way teachers incorporate both subject matter and teaching strategies to transform the way they teach content to support student learning. PCK&S includes the knowledge and planning as well as the act of teaching. The NSF-funded Research Goes to School (RGS) project sought to impact teachers' PCK&S through the introduction of a current scientific research topic simultaneously with an evidence-based teaching strategy. As part of the RGS project, high-school STEM teachers from Indiana applied to attend summer PD workshops. At these workshops, aspects of nanoscience taken from the Big Ideas of Nanoscale Science and Engineering book and project-based learning (PjBL) were taught. Nanoscience was chosen due to the rapid growth of this field and the call by scientists and policymakers for the development of standards and curricula focused on nanoscience within K-12 education. Introduction of fundamental nanoscience concepts can expose students to current research within what is considered the next industrial revolution. PjBL was chosen since within this teaching strategy, scientific processes are used to address unstructured authentic problems. As part of PjBL, the students are required to synthesize ideas, collect and analyze data, and work with peers to develop an answer to the authentic question. Teachers who attended the workshops developed a nanoscience-based PjBL unit that aligned with Indiana state standards and implemented these units
Teacher Social Capital and Student Achievement: Impact of a Cyber-Enabled Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Wei

2012-01-01

This is an evaluative research study of a NSF-funded, DRK-12 cyber-enabled teacher professional development program in elementary engineering education. The finding shows the significant impact of the program on students' science and engineering knowledge in the second year of the program's implementation. However, student learning gain…

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