Learning to Fly: The Wright Brothers' Adventure. A Guide for Educators and Students with Activities in Aeronautics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benson, T.; Galica, C.; McCredie, P.; Storm, R.

2003-01-01

This guide was produced by the NASA Glenn Research Center Office of Educational Programs in Cleveland, OH, and the NASA Aerospace Educational Coordinating Committee. It includes activity modules for students, including the history of the Wright Brothers and their family in Dayton, Ohio and flight experimentation in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Student activities such as building models of the Wright Brothers glider and writing press releases of the initial flight are included.

Scaffolding Students' Online Critiquing of Expert- and Peer-generated Molecular Models of Chemical Reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Hsin-Yi; Chang, Hsiang-Chi

2013-08-01

In this study, we developed online critiquing activities using an open-source computer learning environment. We investigated how well the activities scaffolded students to critique molecular models of chemical reactions made by scientists, peers, and a fictitious peer, and whether the activities enhanced the students' understanding of science models and chemical reactions. The activities were implemented in an eighth-grade class with 28 students in a public junior high school in southern Taiwan. The study employed mixed research methods. Data collected included pre- and post-instructional assessments, post-instructional interviews, and students' electronic written responses and oral discussions during the critiquing activities. The results indicated that these activities guided the students to produce overall quality critiques. Also, the students developed a more sophisticated understanding of chemical reactions and scientific models as a result of the intervention. Design considerations for effective model critiquing activities are discussed based on observational results, including the use of peer-generated artefacts for critiquing to promote motivation and collaboration, coupled with critiques of scientific models to enhance students' epistemological understanding of model purpose and communication.

Educacion al Aire Libre: Libro de Actividades II = Outdoor Education: Student Activity Book II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ada, Alma Flor, Comp.; And Others

Divided into four sections, the book includes activities for students to do before camp, on the way to camp, at camp, and after camp. Activities to do before camp include writing proverbs, tongue twisters, riddles, poems, and stories. Activities to do on the way to camp include singing songs and reading a map. The words to the following songs are…

Plants of the Desert.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NatureScope, 1985

1985-01-01

Provides background information and student activities on plants of the desert, including various adaptations for life with limited water supplies. Each activity includes objective(s), recommended age level(s), subject area(s), list of materials needed, and procedures. A ready-to-copy student worksheet is included. (DH)

Improving the Students' Activity and Learning Outcomes on Social Sciences Subject Using Round Table and Rally Coach of Cooperative Learning Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ningsih; Soetjipto, Budi Eko; Sumarmi

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was: (1) to analyze increasing students' learning activity and learning outcomes. Student activities which were observed include the visual, verbal, listening, writing and mental visual activity; (2) to analyze the improvement of student learning outcomes using "Round Table" and "Rally Coach" Model of…

Academic [Activities]: Looking for Symbols in the Built Landscape; What Is Service?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charney, Len; Sims, Cheryl

1999-01-01

Describes two experiential, academic activities for middle and high school students. Includes target group, group size, time and space requirements, activity level, props/preparation, and instructions. The activities enable students to identify the symbolic value of community places and architecture or raise student awareness about the…

Psychiatry student interest groups: what they are and what they could be.

PubMed

Reardon, Claudia L; Dottl, Susan; Krahn, Dean

2013-05-01

Medical student interest groups across all specialties help students explore various specialties. There are no published reports on psychiatry student interest group (PSIG) curricula. The aim was to develop elements of a curriculum for such groups, based on data elicited from medical students and faculty members through a multi-institutional online survey. The authors electronically surveyed 172 United States psychiatric residency training directors to determine the activities they felt to be important for inclusion in PSIG curricula. Similarly, they surveyed U.S. medical student PSIG leaders to ascertain the activities they felt important to include in such groups, and the current content of their groups. Authors received responses from 64 program directors and 44 PSIG leaders. Based on integration of the results of both surveys, and the practices of existing groups, they propose elements of a curriculum for PSIGs. Medical student PSIG leaders are particularly interested in activities that involve residents. Other curricular topics of interest both to students and training directors include those that focus on student/physician mental health and various psychiatry subspecialties or practice settings. Training directors are willing to be involved with a wide variety of PSIG activities. The results of these surveys should help to guide PSIG leaders and faculty members in optimizing their PSIG curricula by helping them to include those activities felt to be of most interest by students and of most relevance by training directors.

Art & Music Appreciation. A to Z Active Learning Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forte, Imogene; Schurr, Sandra

This workbook includes high-interest activities, lessons, and projects to further students' interest in and understanding of important exploratory and enrichment topics essential to a balanced middle grades program. The workbook includes lessons and activities that encourage students to learn more about the arts. Instructional strategies are…

How Active Are Teens during Their Out-of-School Time? The View from Chicago. Chapin Hall Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goerge, Robert M.; Cusick, Gretchen Ruth; Guiltinan, Shannon

2009-01-01

This issue brief explores levels of physical activity among high school students in Chicago Public Schools, including participation in sports, informal exercise, and other activities. Latent class analysis was used to classify students' levels of physical activity, revealing low levels of activity among most high school students. Multilevel…

Communities. Community Study Unit, Grade 1. Teacher Edition, Field Trip Guide for Teachers, and Student Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee County School District, Ft. Myers, FL. Dept. of Environmental Education and Instructional Development Services.

This unit is designed to help first grade students understand the broad concept of community. The students experience a variety of in-class and field trip activities that will expose them to communities. The students observe and compare both natural and human-designed communities. Learning activities include pantomimes, listening activities,…

Student Activity Funds: Procedures & Controls.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuzzetto, Charles E.

Student activity funds may create educational opportunities for students, but they frequently create problems for business administrators. The first part of this work reviews the types of organizational issues and transactions an organized student group is likely to encounter, including establishing a constitution, participant roles,…

Earthtech, Dig-Texas and Upward Bound: Outreach to At-Risk Students with Interdisciplinary STEM Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olgin, J. G.; Güereque, M.; Pennington, D. D.; Everett, A.; Dixon, J. G.; Reyes, A.; Houser, P. I. Q.; Baker, J. A.; Stocks, E.; Ellins, K.

2015-12-01

The Geological Sciences department at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) hosted the EarthTech outreach program - a one-week intensive summer camp for low-income, at-risk high school students. The EarthTech program engaged students in STEM activities from geological and environmental sciences. Developed and led by university student-mentors with guidance from a supervising faculty member, the course engaged Upward Bound students with lectures, interactive projects, and excursions to local ecological preserves and geological sites around El Paso, Texas. Topics covered plant and animal distribution and diversity, water and soil dynamics, evolution and paleontology, geohazards, and planetary science. Field trips were combined with hands-on activities, including activities from DIG Texas teaching modules. The NSF-funded DIG Texas Instructional Blueprints project is organizing vetted, high quality online educational resources and learning activities into teaching modules. The modules follow a storyline and demonstrate congruency with the Next Generation Science Standards. Selected DIG Texas resources were included in the daily curriculum to complement the field trip and other hands-on activities. EarthTech students created ESRI Online GIS story maps in which they showed the locations of the field trips, incorporated photographs they had taken, and provided written reflections about their camp experiences. The DIG Texas project evaluation collected survey and interview data from the university student mentors throughout the week to ascertain the efficacy of the program. This poster presentation will include an overview of the program, including examples of work and evaluation results.

Success and Motivation among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweinle, Amy; Helming, Luralyn M.

2011-01-01

The present research explores college students' explanations of their success and failure in challenging activities and how it relates to students' efficacy, value, and engagement. The results suggest most students hold one primary reason for success during the challenging activity, including grade/extrinsic, mastery/intrinsic,…

Effects of Requiring Physical Fitness in a Lecture-Based College Course: Students' Attitudes toward Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esslinger, Keri A.; Grimes, Amanda R.; Pyle, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

In this study, we investigated students' attitudes toward physical activity (PA) when including a required PA component in a university-required personal wellness class. The study included (a) an experimental group of students enrolled in a personal wellness course in which there was a required PA requirement and (b) a control group of students…

University of Alaska Anchorage Student Information, Summer 2000 Closing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaska Univ., Anchorage. Office of Institutional Planning, Research, and Assessment.

This statistical document from the University of Alaska Anchorage provides charts and graphs regarding students and student activities at the six-campus institution, including Prince William Sound Community College, for summer 2000. Included is information on student headcount and student characteristics as well as credit hours at each campus.…

Undergraduate research in medical education: a descriptive study of students' views.

PubMed

Oliveira, Cristiano C; de Souza, Renata C; Abe, Erika H Sassaki; Silva Móz, Luís E; de Carvalho, Lidia R; Domingues, Maria A C

2014-03-17

Medical students engage in curricular and extracurricular activities, including undergraduate research (UR). The advantages, difficulties and motivations for medical students pursuing research activities during their studies have rarely been addressed. In Brazil, some medical schools have included undergraduate research into their curriculum. The present study aimed to understand the reality of scientific practice among medical students at a well-established Brazilian medical school, analyzing this context from the students' viewpoint. A cross-sectional survey based on a questionnaire applied to students from years one to six enrolled in an established Brazilian medical school that currently has no curricular UR program. The questionnaire was answered by 415 students, 47.2% of whom were involved in research activities, with greater participation in UR in the second half of the course. Independent of student involvement in research activities, time constraints were cited as the main obstacle to participation. Among students not involved in UR, 91.1% said they favored its inclusion in the curriculum, since this would facilitate the development of such activity. This approach could signify an approximation between the axes of teaching and research. Among students who had completed at least one UR project, 87.7% said they would recommend the activity to students entering the course. Even without an undergraduate research program, students of this medical school report strong involvement in research activities, but discussion of the difficulties inherent in its practice is important to future developments.

Family Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NatureScope, 1985

1985-01-01

Provides background information and student activities on bird nesting, singing, finding a mate, incubating eggs, and raising the young. Each activity includes an objective, recommended age level(s), subject area(s), list of materials needed, and procedures. A ready-to-copy student worksheet is included. (JN)

An Evaluation of Five Critical/Creative Thinking Strategies for Secondary Science Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zielinski, Edward J.; Sarachine, D. Michael

1994-01-01

Critical and creative thinking lessons were designed and presented to 20 biology students in a rural high school. Student attitudes toward critical thinking activities improved significantly after activities involving experimentation, discrepant events, student questioning, ethical dilemmas, and divergent and critical thinking. Includes examples…

Say Cheese, Please!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martell, Mary Kathryn

2001-01-01

Presents five cross-curricular activities involving student snapshots that are designed to keep students motivated. Activities include creating a class book with teacher and student photographs, making photo magnets using frozen juice can tops, developing a first-week word wall with students' names and photographs, and creating a post office with…

Influence of High School Physical Education on University Student's Physical Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimball, Jessica; Jenkins, Jayne; Wallhead, Tristan

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to use the Lifelong Physical Activity (LLPA) framework to examine the influence of high school physical education (PE) on university students' level of physical activity (PA). Participants included 365 undergraduate students from the Rocky Mountain West of the USA enrolled in a university physical activity course.…

Food Additives: "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy". Health and the Consumer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Div. of Elementary and Secondary Education.

One in a series, this consumer education learning activity package teaches secondary students about food additives. The package includes instructions for the teacher, suggestions for activities, lists of resource materials, film guides, student activity worksheets, a student resource booklet of background readings, and answer keys. Content taught…

Using memories to motivate future behaviour: an experimental exercise intervention.

PubMed

Biondolillo, Mathew J; Pillemer, David B

2015-01-01

This study tested a novel memory-based experimental intervention to increase exercise activity. Undergraduate students completed a two-part online survey ostensibly regarding college activity choices. At Time 1, they completed questionnaires that included assessments of exercise-related attitudes, motivation and self-reported behaviours. Next, they described a memory of a positive or negative experience that would increase their motivation to exercise; students in a control condition did not receive a memory prompt. Finally, they rated their intentions to exercise in the future. Eight days following Time 1, students received a Time 2 survey that included an assessment of their self-reported exercise during the prior week. Students in the positive memory condition reported higher levels of subsequent exercise than those in the control condition; students in the negative memory condition reported intermediate levels of exercise. Activating a positive motivational memory had a significant effect on students' self-reported exercise activity even after controlling for prior attitudes, motivation and exercise activity.

Targeting Efficient Studying--First-Semester Psychology Students' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Öhrstedt, Maria; Scheja, Max

2018-01-01

Background: How students go about studying, including the learning activities that students engage in both during and between classes, is not easily understood. Previous research indicates that critical student features, such as approaches to learning and decisions of how to organise studying activities, develop in bidirectional interactions…

Student Service Learning and Student Activities--A Perfect Fit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Deborah

1990-01-01

The coordination and purpose of a student service learning program fits appropriately within the mission of a student activities center. Some national associations that focus on community volunteerism are identified and the volunteer program at East Tennessee State University is described. Volunteer experiences included campus blood drive,…

The impact of utilizing mobile phones to promote physical activity among post-secondary students: a scoping review.

PubMed

Ly, Hieu

2016-01-01

A commitment to regular physical activity may reduce the risks of chronic diseases for young adults. Internationally, the majority of post-secondary students are insufficiently active for health benefits. Novel health strategies and interventions utilizing mobiles phones could increase post-secondary students' physical activity levels. However, there is contradictory evidence to support the use of mobile phones to promote physical activity, and a scoping review could provide further insights into this topic. The purpose of this study was to conduct a scoping review to explore the existing literature and investigate what is currently known about the use of mobile phones to enhance physical activity levels among post-secondary students. A total of 84 articles were identified from the literature search, and six studies were selected for data analysis. Two major themes were supported by the evidence, which included: (I) the relationship between mobile phones and physical activity levels; and (II) students' perceptions of mobile phones. Goal setting principles combined with text message interventions were reported to have significant influences on students' physical activity levels. Students expressed mixed feelings about coaching elements of apps and posting personal results on social networking websites. No studies reported the use of objective physical activity measurements. In conclusion, mobile phone technologies such as text message reminders could be included in health interventions to enhance post-secondary students' physical activity levels. There is limited evidence available on this topic and additional research is warranted to establish a clearer understanding of the relationship between mobile phones and post-secondary students' physical activity.

Curricular and extracurricular activities of medical students during war, Zagreb University School of Medicine, 1991-1995.

PubMed

Gluncić, V; Pulanić, D; Prka, M; Marusíc, A; Marusíc, M

2001-01-01

War, as a major human disaster, affects many aspects of life, including medical education. This report describes curricular and extracurricular activities of the students at the Zagreb University School of Medicine during the wars in Croatia and neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although condensed versions of the curricula were prepared in case of a major breakdown in civilian life, the school maintained the continuity and quality of its curriculum throughout the war. Students engaged in extracurricular activities related to medical aspects of the war, including organization of resuscitation and first aid courses, collecting medical documentation on war victims, humanitarian help to refugees, and peace-promoting activities. Some students joined mobile surgical teams on the battlefronts. After army service, most of them returned to the school and successfully continued with their studies. The school also accepted guest-students from other new states emerged from former Yugoslavia. The authors found that the students' engagement in extracurricular activities related to medicine was enormously beneficial both to the psychological well-being of the students and to the region's peace-building efforts.

Understanding Instructions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milburn, Val

This guide is intended to help adult basic education (ABE) teachers teach their students to understand instructions in their daily lives. The 25 learning activities included all develop students' skills in the area of following directions by using basic situations drawn from everyday life. The following activities are included: sequencing pictures…

Food Shopping: "Food for Your Brood". Health and the Consumer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Div. of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The purpose of this learning activity package, which is one of a series, is to acquaint secondary level students with options and money saving buying habits when shopping for food. The package includes instructions for the teacher, suggestions for activities, lists of resource materials, film guides, student activity worksheets, a student resource…

Storm Surges. Teacher Guide and Activity Book. OEAGLS Investigation No. 25.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keir, John; Mayer, Victor J.

This investigation is designed to help students understand storm surges on Lake Erie. Activity A includes experiments and discussions intended to help students understand what causes storm surges on Lake Erie. Activity B considers how storm surges affect water levels and, in turn, coastal areas. The student booklet contains questions, experiments,…

The Effect of Curricular and Extracurricular Activities on University Students' Entrepreneurial Intention and Competences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arranz, Nieves; Ubierna, Francisco; Arroyabe, Marta. F.; Perez, Carlos; Fernandez de Arroyabe, J. C.

2017-01-01

This paper examines the effect of curricular and extracurricular activities on the entrepreneurial motivation and competences of university students. In order to address these issues, the authors have used Ajzen's model of planned behaviour, including curricular and extracurricular activities, analysing their effect on university students'…

Math Thinkercises. A Good Apple Math Activity Book for Students. Grades 4-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Becky

This booklet designed for students in grades 4-8 provides 52 activities, including puzzles and problems. Activities range from simple to complex, giving learners practice in finding patterns, numeration, permutation, and problem solving. Calculators should be available, and students should be encouraged to discuss solutions with classmates,…

Strike It Rich with Classroom Compost.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Linda L. Cronin

1992-01-01

Discusses composting of organic materials as an alternative to landfills. Lists uses of composts and describes details of a simple composting activity for high school students. Includes an information sheet for students and a student data sheet. Suggests other composting activities. (PR)

Strategies for Teaching in a Block-of-Time Schedule.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackmann, Donald G.; Schmitt, Donna M.

1997-01-01

Offers suggestions for developing creative instructional approaches in time-blocked classes. Teachers should continuously engage students in active learning, include group activities to encourage student participation, incorporate activities addressing multiple intelligences, use creative thinking activities, move outside the classroom, employ…

Student Rights, Decisionmaking, and the Law. Report No. 10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tice, Terrence N.

The issue of student rights and the law is presented in this essay and bibliography. Included are discussion of student activism and the courts, law and morality, the new era of student activism, legal, institutional, and moral rights, and institutional administration and the law. Also considered are constitutional questions raised by student…

What Do Medical Students Do for Self-Care? A Student-Centered Approach to Well-Being.

PubMed

Ayala, Erin E; Omorodion, Aisha M; Nmecha, Dennis; Winseman, Jeffrey S; Mason, Hyacinth R C

2017-01-01

Phenomenon: Despite the promotion of medical student health and wellness through recent program and curricular changes, research continues to show that medical education is associated with decreased well-being in medical students. Although many institutions have sought to more effectively assess and improve self-care in medical students, no self-care initiatives have been designed using the explicit perspectives of students themselves. Using concept mapping methodology, the research team created a student-generated taxonomy of self-care behaviors taken from a national sample of medical students in response to a brainstorming prompt. The research team examined how students' conceptualizations of self-care may be organized into a framework suitable for use in programming and curricular change in medical education. Ten clusters of self-care activities were identified: nourishment, hygiene, intellectual and creative health, physical activity, spiritual care, balance and relaxation, time for loved ones, big picture goals, pleasure and outside activities, and hobbies. Using results of the two-dimensional scaling analysis, students' individual self-care behaviors were organized within two orthogonal dimensions of self-care activities. Insights: This concept map of student-identified self-care activities provides a starting point for better understanding and ultimately improving medical student self-care. Students' brainstormed responses fit within a framework of varying levels of social engagement and physical-psychological health that included a wide range of solitary, social, physical, and mental health behaviors. As students' preferred self-care practices did not often include programmatic activities, medical educators may benefit from consulting this map as they plan new approaches to student self-care and in counseling individual students searching for more effective ways to ease the burdens of medical school.

Finding a Place to Live.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NatureScope, 1985

1985-01-01

Provides background information and student activities on bird habitats, how birds have adapted to living in these habitats, and bird migration. Each activity includes an objective, recommended age level(s), subject area(s), list of materials needed, and procedures. Ready-to-copy student materials (puzzles and worksheets) are included. (JN)

Activities for Preschoolers--A Laboratory Manual for Use by Child-Care Teacher-Aide Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Constantine, Jean

This laboratory manual for use by child care and teacher aide students is arranged by topic according to the months and holidays of the school year. Suggested activities, songs, fingerplays, and poems are included for each topic, along with a list of related resource books. Many of the activities and songs include a number in parentheses following…

Adding Value to the Health Care System: Identifying Value-Added Systems Roles for Medical Students.

PubMed

Gonzalo, Jed D; Graaf, Deanna; Johannes, Bobbie; Blatt, Barbara; Wolpaw, Daniel R

To catalyze learning in Health Systems Science and add value to health systems, education programs are seeking to incorporate students into systems roles, which are not well described. The authors sought to identify authentic roles for students within a range of clinical sites and explore site leaders' perceptions of the value of students performing these roles. From 2013 to 2015, site visits and interviews with leadership from an array of clinical sites (n = 30) were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to identify tasks and benefits of integrating students into interprofessional care teams. Types of systems roles included direct patient benefit activities, including monitoring patient progress with care plans and facilitating access to resources, and clinic benefit activities, including facilitating coordination and improving clinical processes. Perceived benefits included improved value of the clinical mission and enhanced student education. These results elucidate a framework for student roles that enhance learning and add value to health systems.

Chemistry For Kids: Pre-Chemistry Acid Rain Activities for Kids.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrow, Lloyd H.

1985-01-01

Presents two activities on acid rain for students in intermediate grades. Materials needed and procedures used are included. Also describes "chemical magic" shows performed by high school students for sixth-grade students in seven elementary schools in Altus, Oklahoma. (JN)

Ethical Development through Student Activities Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brock, Carol S.

1991-01-01

Student activities programing, viewed as essential to the college experience, is defended by outlining some of the values and growth opportunities it provides for students. Several specific programing strategies useful as catalysts in values development are described, including values clarification exercises, multicultural programing, and…

Student Travel: Policies - Regulations - Exhibits.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trujillo, Lorenzo A.; And Others

The Jefferson County (Colorado) Public Schools' regulations and policies concerning student travel covers these forms of travel: student activity travel, extended student travel, district sponsored student travel, district authorized student travel, student exchange, and bonus learning trips. Issues and items addressed include: (1) authorization…

Using an Exploratory Internet Activity & Trivia Game to Teach Students about Biomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Matthew L.

2009-01-01

Students in life science classes need an introduction to biomes, including an introduction to the concept, key biotic and abiotic features of biomes, and geographic locations of biomes. In this activity, students in seventh- and eighth-grade science classes used a directed exploratory Internet activity to learn about biomes. The author tested…

Kick-Start Your Class: Academic Icebreakers to Engage Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, LouAnne

2012-01-01

LouAnne Johnson's newest book is a collection of fun and simple educational icebreaker activities that get students excited and engaged from the very first minute of class. These activities are great to use with students at all levels, and many of the activities include variations and modifications for different groups. Research has shown that the…

Evaluation of Classroom Active Engagement in Elementary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparapani, Nicole; Morgan, Lindee; Reinhardt, Vanessa P.; Schatschneider, Christopher; Wetherby, Amy M.

2016-01-01

This study evaluated the classroom measure of active engagement (CMAE), an observational tool designed to measure active engagement in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants included 196 students with ASD and their educators (n = 126) who were video-recorded at the beginning of the school year. Findings documented limited…

The Sea Floor: A Living Learning Residential Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guentzel, J. L.; Rosch, E.; Stoughton, M. A.; Bowyer, R.; Mortensen, K.; Smith, M.

2016-02-01

Living learning communities are collaborations between university housing and academic departments designed to enhance the overall student experience by integrating classroom/laboratory learning, student life and extracurricular activities. At Coastal Carolina University, the residential community associated with the Marine Science program is known as the Sea Floor. Students selected to become members of the Sea Floor remain "in residence" for two consecutive semesters. These students are first-time freshman that share a common course connection. This course is usually Introduction to Marine Science (MSCI 111) or MSCI 399s, which are one credit field/laboratory centered internships. The common course connection is designed so residents can establish and maintain an educational dialog with their peers. Activities designed to enhance the students' networking skills and educational and social development skills include monthly lunches with marine science faculty and dinner seminars with guest speakers from academia, industry and government. Additionally, each semester several activities outside the classroom are planned so that students can more frequently interact with themselves and their faculty and staff partners. These activities include field trips to regional aquariums, local boat trips that include water sample collection and analysis, and an alternative spring break trip to the Florida Keys to study the marine environment firsthand. The resident advisor that supervises the Sea Floor is usually a sophomore or junior marine science major. This provides the residents with daily communication and mentoring from a marine science major that is familiar with the marine science program and residence life. Assessment activities include: a university housing community living survey, student interest housing focus groups, fall to spring and fall to fall retention, and evaluation of program advisors and program activities.

Barriers to Physical Activity in a Population-based Sample of Children and Adolescents in Isfahan, Iran.

PubMed

Kelishadi, Roya; Ghatrehsamani, Shohreh; Hosseini, Mohsen; Mirmoghtadaee, Parisa; Mansouri, Samaneh; Poursafa, Parinaz

2010-01-01

This study was conducted to explore the barriers to physical activity in a representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents. The study was conducted in 2007 in urban and rural areas of Isfahan district in Iran. In the qualitative part, we used the grounded theory approach, including semi-structured focus group discussions and indepth interviews. The quantitative part comprised 600 randomly selected students. The qualitative study included 34 school students (16 girls), 20 parents (11 mothers) and 11 school staff. All students disclosed that studying was a priority. They pointed to lack of safe and easy-access place for physical activity and unsupportive family as the main barriers. Lack of self-confidence and low selfworth were the two other concepts developed in this context. Parents pointed to lack of safe and easy-access place for activity followed by the priority of studying. The concepts derived from interviews with school staff included unhealthy modeling of parents, priority of studying, and inadequate public knowledge about how to integrate physical activity in routine daily life. The quantitative survey comprised 600 students including 286 (47.8%) girls. Parents' education level had inverse association with children's physical activity level. Significant inverse associations of self-efficacy and physical activity levels were documented. Increasing the public knowledge about adopting physical activity habits in routine daily life, informing the families and students about the benefits of physical activity to improve learning, as well as providing safe places such as using the school facilities in non-school hours should be considered in planning effective preventive strategies and interventions.

Determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in university students: a qualitative study using focus group discussions.

PubMed

Deliens, Tom; Deforche, Benedicte; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Clarys, Peter

2015-02-28

College or university is a critical period regarding unhealthy changes in energy related behaviours in students. The first objective of this explorative study was to identify determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Belgian university students. Secondly, we aimed to collect ideas and recommendations to increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviours in university students. Using a semi-structured question guide, seven focus group discussions were conducted consisting of 17 male and 29 female university students from a variety of study disciplines, with a mean age of 20.7 ± 1.6 yrs. Using Nvivo9, an inductive thematic approach was used for data analysis. Students reported that both physical and sedentary activities were influenced by individual factors (e.g. perceived enjoyment, self-discipline, time and convenience), their social networks (e.g. (lack of) parental control, modelling, social support), physical environment (e.g. availability and accessibility, travel time/distance, prices), and macro environment (e.g. media and advertising). Furthermore, the relationships between determinants and university students' physical activity and sedentary behaviour seemed to be moderated by university characteristics, such as residency, university lifestyle, exams and academic pressure. Recommendations for future physical activity interventions include improving information strategies regarding on-campus sports activities, cheaper and/or more flexible sports subscriptions and formulas, including 'sports time' into the curricula, and providing university bicycles around campus. Students also believed that increasing students' physical activity might decrease their sedentary behaviour at the same time. The recommendations and ideas discussed in this study may facilitate the development of effective and tailored (multilevel) intervention programs aiming to increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviours in university students.

10 CFR 1042.445 - Marital or parental status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... status that treats students differently on the basis of sex. (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A... activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests...

10 CFR 1042.445 - Marital or parental status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... status that treats students differently on the basis of sex. (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A... activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests...

10 CFR 1042.445 - Marital or parental status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... status that treats students differently on the basis of sex. (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A... activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests...

49 CFR 25.445 - Marital or parental status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... status that treats students differently on the basis of sex. (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A... activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests...

49 CFR 25.445 - Marital or parental status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... status that treats students differently on the basis of sex. (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A... activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests...

49 CFR 25.445 - Marital or parental status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... status that treats students differently on the basis of sex. (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A... activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests...

49 CFR 25.445 - Marital or parental status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... status that treats students differently on the basis of sex. (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A... activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests...

10 CFR 1042.445 - Marital or parental status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... status that treats students differently on the basis of sex. (b) Pregnancy and related conditions. (1) A... activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student's pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, unless the student requests...

34 CFR 646.4 - What activities and services does a project provide?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... postsecondary course selection. (3)(i) Information on both the full range of Federal student financial aid... the financial and economic literacy of students, including financial planning for postsecondary... counselors. (2) Information, activities, and instruction designed to acquaint students participating in the...

34 CFR 646.4 - What activities and services does a project provide?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... postsecondary course selection. (3)(i) Information on both the full range of Federal student financial aid... the financial and economic literacy of students, including financial planning for postsecondary... counselors. (2) Information, activities, and instruction designed to acquaint students participating in the...

34 CFR 646.4 - What activities and services does a project provide?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... postsecondary course selection. (3)(i) Information on both the full range of Federal student financial aid... the financial and economic literacy of students, including financial planning for postsecondary... counselors. (2) Information, activities, and instruction designed to acquaint students participating in the...

Measuring Students' Physical Activity Levels: Validating SOFIT for Use with High-School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Mars, Hans; Rowe, Paul J.; Schuldheisz, Joel M.; Fox, Susan

2004-01-01

This study was conducted to validate the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) for measuring physical activity levels of high-school students. Thirty-five students (21 girls and 14 boys from grades 9-12) completed a standardized protocol including lying, sitting, standing, walking, running, curl-ups, and push-ups. Heart rates and…

A Proposed System for Differentiating Elementary Mathematics for Exceptionally Able Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirr, Palma M.

1984-01-01

A pilot mathematics project for one exceptionally able elementary student expanded to include other students and schools. Project activities included a needs assessment and development of a learning center approach and materials to differentiate the core elementary mathematics curriculum. (CL)

Creative Arts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castellano, Richard J.; Fleming, Mary Ann

Educational goals and objectives, student activities, and visual aids are included in this guide to a three-dimensional design unit that combines creative art and industrial arts skills. Course goals include challenging students' creative skills, encouraging student interaction and successful group work, and providing an atmosphere of fun and…

Investigation of Participation Motivations in Exercises of Students Participating in Archery in Extra Curricular Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gündüz, Nevin; Keskin, Muzaffer Toprak; Erdugan, Fuat

2017-01-01

The aim of this research is to investigate Investigation of Participation Motivations in Exercises of Students Participating in Archery in Extra Curricular Activities. While the study's universe consists of all 11th graders studying at High school, the sample includes 32 of the 11th grade students who participated in arrow shooting activities in…

ConfChem Conference on Select 2016 BCCE Presentations: Putting Your Own Personal Twist on a Flipped Organic Classroom and Selling the Idea to Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Ashleigh L. P.

2017-01-01

This paper presents gradual implementation of active learning approaches in an organic chemistry classroom based on student feedback and strategies for getting students on-board with this new approach. Active learning techniques discussed include videos, online quizzes, reading assignments, and classroom activities. Preliminary findings indicate a…

Managing the Office Environment. Instructor's Guide. Student Activity Packet. Office Occupations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Diane E.

This training package, one in a series of instructional modules consisting of an instructor's guide and a student activity packet, deals with managing the office environment. Included in the instructor's guide are general directions for implementing the presentation; a detailed guide for teaching the lesson that includes performance objectives,…

Isaac Newton Olympics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Carol

2001-01-01

Presents the Isaac Newton Olympics in which students complete a hands-on activity at seven stations and evaluate what they have learned in the activity and how it is related to real life. Includes both student and teacher instructions for three of the activities. (YDS)

School-based physical therapy services and student functional performance at school.

PubMed

Mccoy, Sarah Westcott; Effgen, Susan K; Chiarello, Lisa A; Jeffries, Lynn M; Villasante Tezanos, Alejandro G

2018-03-30

We explored relationships of school-based physical therapy to standardized outcomes of students receiving physical therapy. Using a practice-based evidence research design, School Function Assessment (SFA) outcomes of 296 students with disabilities (mean age 7y 4mo [standard deviation 2y]; 166 males, 130 females), served by 109 physical therapists, were explored. After training, therapists completed 10 SFA scales on students at the beginning and end of the school year. Therapists collected detailed weekly data on services (activities, interventions, types, student participation) using the School-Physical Therapy Interventions for Pediatrics (S-PTIP) system. Stepwise linear regressions were used to investigate S-PTIP predictors of SFA outcomes. Predictors of SFA section outcomes varied in strength, with the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) for each outcome ranging from 0.107 to 0.326. Services that correlated positively with the SFA outcomes included mobility, sensory, motor learning, aerobic/conditioning, functional strengthening, playground access interventions, and higher student participation during therapy (standardized β=0.11-0.26). Services that correlated negatively with the SFA outcomes included providing services within student groups, within school activity, with students not in special education, during recreation activities, and with positioning, hands-on facilitation, sensory integration, orthoses, and equipment interventions (standardized β=-0.14 to -0.22). Consideration of outcomes is prudent to focus services. Overall results suggest we should emphasize active mobility practice by using motor learning interventions and engaging students within therapy sessions. No specific interventions predicted positively on all School Function Assessment (SFA) outcomes. Active movement practice seems related to overall better SFA outcomes. Active mobility practice improved SFA participation, mobility, recreation, and activities of daily living. Engaging students in therapy activities and interventions improved outcomes. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

Emotionally Intense Science Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Donna; Ritchie, Stephen; Sandhu, Maryam; Henderson, Senka

2015-08-01

Science activities that evoke positive emotional responses make a difference to students' emotional experience of science. In this study, we explored 8th Grade students' discrete emotions expressed during science activities in a unit on Energy. Multiple data sources including classroom videos, interviews and emotion diaries completed at the end of each lesson were analysed to identify individual student's emotions. Results from two representative students are presented as case studies. Using a theoretical perspective drawn from theories of emotions founded in sociology, two assertions emerged. First, during the demonstration activity, students experienced the emotions of wonder and surprise; second, during a laboratory activity, students experienced the intense positive emotions of happiness/joy. Characteristics of these activities that contributed to students' positive experiences are highlighted. The study found that choosing activities that evoked strong positive emotional experiences, focused students' attention on the phenomenon they were learning, and the activities were recalled positively. Furthermore, such positive experiences may contribute to students' interest and engagement in science and longer term memorability. Finally, implications for science teachers and pre-service teacher education are suggested.

Six Classroom Exercises to Teach Natural Selection to Undergraduate Biology Students

PubMed Central

Kalinowski, Steven T.; Leonard, Mary J.; Andrews, Tessa M.; Litt, Andrea R.

2013-01-01

Students in introductory biology courses frequently have misconceptions regarding natural selection. In this paper, we describe six activities that biology instructors can use to teach undergraduate students in introductory biology courses how natural selection causes evolution. These activities begin with a lesson introducing students to natural selection and also include discussions on sexual selection, molecular evolution, evolution of complex traits, and the evolution of behavior. The set of six topics gives students the opportunity to see how natural selection operates in a variety of contexts. Pre- and postinstruction testing showed students’ understanding of natural selection increased substantially after completing this series of learning activities. Testing throughout this unit showed steadily increasing student understanding, and surveys indicated students enjoyed the activities. PMID:24006396

Rivers at Risk: An Activity Based Study Guide for the Colorado River Basin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samples, Bob, Ed.

This activity guide is intended to increase student awareness and understanding about the Colorado River Basin. Each activity includes objectives, procedures, materials list, related activities, questions for students, and related information. The activities are varied to appeal to a wide range of learning styles and modalities and are…

Working with Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mizer, Linda; And Others

1990-01-01

Includes 12 articles that suggest activities to involve junior and senior high school students with their school libraries. Suggestions include a program to promote the reading of quality books; the use of questionnaires to improve individualized service; a checklist for book fairs; library clubs; student book reviewers; booktalks; research…

Freshman Seminars: Interdisciplinary Engagements in Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemenway, M. K.

2006-08-01

The Freshman Seminar program at the University of Texas is designed to allow groups of fifteen students an engaging introduction to the University. The seminars introduce students to the resources of the university and allow them to identify interesting subjects for further research or future careers. An emphasis on oral and written communication by the students provides these first-year students a transition to college-level writing and thinking. Seminar activities include field trips to an art museum, a research library, and the Humanities Research Center rare book collection. This paper will report on two seminars, each fifteen weeks in length. In "The Galileo Scandal" students examine Galileo's struggle with the church (including a mock trial). They perform activities that connect his use of the telescope and observations to astronomical concepts. In "Astronomy and the Humanities" students analyze various forms of human expression that have astronomical connections (art, drama, literature, music, poetry, and science fiction); they perform hands-on activities to reinforce the related astronomy concepts. Evaluation of the seminars indicates student engagement and improvement in communication skills. Many of the activities could be used independently to engage students enrolled in standard introductory astronomy classes.

The Commission Game: An Ethics Activity for Professional Selling Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milewicz, Chad

2012-01-01

The Commission Game is an experiment-based experiential learning activity designed to elicit students' sincere ethical decision making in an ambiguous sales context. The activity includes multiple relevant stakeholders as well as tangible, shared risk/reward elements. The activity's design encourages students to contemplate their own personal code…

FL Activities & Festivals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY.

A collection of student, class, and school foreign language activities suggests a variety of projects and describes three specific school efforts. The suggested activities include: (1) individual student efforts such as writing to pen-pals; (2) group activities such as a foreign language auction or sing-along; (3) group projects for the school…

The Single Needle Lockstitch Machine. [Constructing Darts.] Module 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia. Office of Vocational Education.

This module on constructing darts, one in a series on the single needle lockstitch sewing machine for student self-study, contains two sections. Each section includes the following parts: an introduction, directions, an objective, learning activities, student information, student self-check, check-out activities, and an instructor's final…

Students from Non-Dominant Linguistic Backgrounds Making Sense of Cosmology Visualizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buck Bracey, Zoë E.

2017-01-01

This article presents the results of exploratory research with community college students from non-dominant linguistic backgrounds (NDLB) in an introductory astronomy class as they collaborated to reconstruct dynamic cosmology visualizations through drawing. Data included student discourse during the drawing activity, post-activity interviews, and…

Mentoring Students with Mild Disabilities: The "Nuts and Bolts" of Program Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell-Whatley, Gloria D.

2001-01-01

This article provides step-by-step guidelines for developing a mentoring program for students with disabilities. The benefits of mentoring, role of the mentor, mentor screening, and program development are discussed. Suggested mentor and student activities are outlined, including communication, reading, leisure, and academic activities. (Contains…

The Single Needle Lockstitch Machine. [Setting Zippers.] Module 8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia. Office of Vocational Education.

This module on setting zippers, one in a series on the single needle lockstitch sewing machine for student self-study, contains five sections. Each section includes the following parts: an introduction, directions, an objective, learning activities, student information, student self-check, check-out activities, and an instructor's final checklist.…

Student Perceived Motivational Climate, Enjoyment, and Physical Activity in Middle School Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Christine E.; Erwin, Heather E.; Kipp, Lindsay; Beighle, Aaron

2017-01-01

We used achievement goal theory to examine students' physical activity (PA) motivation and physical education (PE) enjoyment. Purposes included: 1) determine whether schools with different pedagogical approaches varied in student perceptions of mastery and performance climate dimensions, enjoyment, and PA; 2) examine gender and grade differences…

Identifying Novel Helix–Loop–Helix Genes in Caenorhabditis elegans through a Classroom Demonstration of Functional Genomics

PubMed Central

Griffin, Vernetta; McMiller, Tracee; Jones, Erika; Johnson, Casonya M.

2003-01-01

A 14-week, undergraduate-level Genetics and Population Biology course at Morgan State University was modified to include a demonstration of functional genomics in the research laboratory. Students performed a rudimentary sequence analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome and further characterized three sequences that were predicted to encode helix–loop–helix proteins. Students then used reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction to determine which of the three genes is normally expressed in C. elegans. At the end of this laboratory activity, students were 1) to demonstrate a rudimentary knowledge of bioinformatics, including the ability to differentiate between “having” a gene and “expressing” a gene, and 2) to understand basic approaches to functional genomics, including one specific technique for assaying for gene expression. It was also anticipated that students would increase their skills at effectively communicating their research activities through written and/or oral presentation. This article describes the laboratory activity and the assessment of the effectiveness of the activity. PMID:12822036

Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Active Lions: A Campaign to Promote Active Travel to a University Campus.

PubMed

Bopp, Melissa; Sims, Dangaia; Matthews, Stephen A; Rovniak, Liza S; Poole, Erika; Colgan, Joanna

2018-03-01

To outline the development, implementation, and evaluation of a multistrategy intervention to promote active transportation, on a large university campus. Single group pilot study. A large university in the Northeastern United States. University students (n = 563), faculty and staff (employees, n = 999) were included in the study. The Active Lions campaign aimed to increase active transportation to campus for all students and employees. The campaign targeted active transport participation through the development of a smartphone application and the implementation of supporting social marketing and social media components. Component-specific measures included app user statistics, social media engagement, and reach of social marketing strategies. Overall evaluation included cross-sectional online surveys preintervention and postintervention of student and employee travel patterns and campaign awareness. Number of active trips to campus were summed, and the percentage of trips as active was calculated. T tests compared the differences in outcomes from preintervention to postintervention. Students had a higher percentage of active trips postintervention (64.2%) than preintervention (49.2%; t = 3.32, P = .001), although there were no differences for employees (7.9% and 8.91%). Greater awareness of Active Lions was associated with greater active travel. This multistrategy approach to increase active transportation on a college campus provided insight on the process of developing and implementing a campaign with the potential for impacting health behaviors among campus members.

Student Government.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrow, Joyce

Materials for running a student government program at the junior high school level are provided in three general sections. Section 1 is a description of student government operations. Topics covered include student government responsibilities and activities, student council meeting procedures, parliamentary rules, responsibilities of the…

An Elective Pharmaceutical Care Course to Prepare Students for an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience in Kenya

PubMed Central

Miller, Monica L.; Ogallo, William; Pastakia, Sonak D.

2013-01-01

Objective. To develop a prerequisite elective course to prepare students for an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in Kenya. Design. The course addressed Kenyan culture, travel preparation, patient care, and disease-state management. Instructional formats used were small-group discussions and lectures, including some Web-based presentations by Kenyan pharmacists on disease states commonly treated in Kenya. Cultural activities include instruction in conversational and medical Kiswahili and reading of a novel related to global health programs. Assessment. Student performance was assessed using written care plans, quizzes, reflection papers, a formulary management exercise, and pre- and post-course assessments. Student feedback on course evaluations indicated that the course was well received and students felt prepared for the APPE. Conclusion. This course offered a unique opportunity for students to learn about pharmacy practice in global health and to apply previously acquired skills in a resource-constrained international setting. It prepares students to actively participate in clinical care activities during an international APPE. PMID:23610478

GeoMapApp Learning Activities: Grab-and-go inquiry-based geoscience activities that bring cutting-edge technology to the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwillie, A. M.; Kluge, S.

2011-12-01

NSF-funded GeoMapApp Learning Activities (http://serc.carleton.edu/geomapapp) provide self-contained learning opportunities that are centred around the principles of guided inquiry. The activities allow students to interact with and analyse research-quality geoscience data to explore and enhance student understanding of underlying geoscience content and concepts. Each activity offers ready-to-use step-by-step student instructions and answer sheets that can be downloaded from the web page. Also provided are annotated teacher versions of the worksheets that include teaching tips, additional content and suggestions for further work. Downloadable pre- and post- quizzes tied to each activity help educators gauge the learning progression of their students. Short multimedia tutorials and details on content alignment with state and national teaching standards round out the package of material that comprises each "grab-and-go" activity. GeoMapApp Learning Activities expose students to content and concepts typically found at the community college, high school and introductory undergraduate levels. The activities are based upon GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org), a free, easy-to-use map-based data exploration and visualisation tool that allows students to access a wide range of geoscience data sets in a virtual lab-like environment. Activities that have so far been created under this project include student exploration of seafloor spreading rates, a study of mass wasting as revealed through geomorphological evidence, and an analysis of plate motion and hotspot traces. The step-by-step instructions and guided inquiry approach lead students through each activity, thus reducing the need for teacher intervention whilst also boosting the time that students can spend on productive exploration and learning. The activities can be used, for example, in a classroom lab with the educator present and as self-paced assignments in an out-of-class setting. GeoMapApp Learning Activities are hosted on the SERC-Carleton web site.

A Microbial Murder Mystery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Melissa A.; Mitchell, James K.

2002-01-01

Proposes a microbial mystery activity to test students' knowledge of human anatomy and their ability to identify microbes. Provides an opportunity for students to develop logical deductive reasoning. Includes national science education standards related to this activity, activity sheets with whole procedures, and Internet resources. (KHR)

Examining the noisy life of the college musician: weeklong noise dosimetry of music and non-music activities.

PubMed

Tufts, Jennifer B; Skoe, Erika

2018-02-01

To examine the contribution of all daily activities, including non-music activities, to the overall noise exposure of college student musicians, and to compare their "noise lives" with those of non-musician college students. Continuous week-long dosimetry measurements were collected on student musicians and non-musicians. During the measurement period, participants recorded their daily activities in journals. 22 musicians and 40 non-musicians, all students (aged 18-24 years) at the University of Connecticut. On every day of the week, musicians experienced significantly higher average exposure levels than did non-musicians. Nearly half (47%) of the musicians' days exceeded a daily dose of 100%, compared with 10% of the non-musicians' days. When the exposure due to music activities was removed, musicians still led noisier lives, largely due to participation in noisier social activities. For some musicians, non-music activities contributed a larger share of their total weekly noise exposure than did their music activities. Compared with their non-musician peers, college student musicians are at higher risk for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). On a weekly basis, non-music activities may pose a greater risk to some musicians than music activities. Thus, hearing health education for musicians should include information about the contribution of lifestyle factors outside of music to NIHL risk.

Island Watershed Activity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Rod

2003-01-01

Describes a 90-minute "Island Watershed" activity to help earth science students understand the concept of the water cycle. Introduces a surface waters unit appropriate for students in grades 7-10. Includes watershed project guidelines. (Author/KHR)

Exploring Agriculture in America. Instructor Guide and Student Reference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, John Kevin; And Others

This curriculum guide is designed to provide instruction about agriculture for eighth-grade students in Missouri. Lessons included in the curriculum employ a problem-solving instructional approach. Student-oriented activities are included to provide opportunities for experiential learning. Core competencies and key skills are identified in…

Higher Education in Facts and Figures 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Universities UK, 2016

2016-01-01

This report provides a snapshot of statistics from academic year 2014-15 related to students at UK higher education institutions and the income and expenditure of these institutions. The statistics reviewed include universities' research activity, student employability, and information on international students and staff. Highlights include: (1)…

Implementation and evaluation of a community-based interprofessional learning activity.

PubMed

Luebbers, Ellen L; Dolansky, Mary A; Vehovec, Anton; Petty, Gayle

2017-01-01

Implementation of large-scale, meaningful interprofessional learning activities for pre-licensure students has significant barriers and requires novel approaches to ensure success. To accomplish this goal, faculty at Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA, used the Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU) framework to create, improve, and sustain a community-based interprofessional learning activity for large numbers of medical students (N = 177) and nursing students (N = 154). The model guided the process and included identification of context-specific barriers and facilitators, continual monitoring and improvement using data, and evaluation of student learning outcomes as well as programme outcomes. First year Case Western Reserve University medical students and undergraduate nursing students participated in team-structured prevention screening clinics in the Cleveland Metropolitan Public School District. Identification of barriers and facilitators assisted with overcoming logistic and scheduling issues, large class size, differing ages and skill levels of students and creating sustainability. Continual monitoring led to three distinct phases of improvement and resulted in the creation of an authentic team structure, role clarification, and relevance for students. Evaluation of student learning included both qualitative and quantitative methods, resulting in statistically significant findings and qualitative themes of learner outcomes. The OMRU implementation model provided a useful framework for successful implementation resulting in a sustainable interprofessional learning activity.

United States National Student Association. Report of the Officers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Kathy

Each year the officers of the United States National Student Association are required to report on their activities. The report is for the year 1974-75 and discusses activities in the administration of the national office including a brief overview of the finances and operation of the national office. On-going administrative programs including the…

Decisions Based on Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Vincent; Lofstrom, Jocelyn; Jerome, Brian

This guide makes the case for a decision-making focus in the science curriculum as a response to concern over preparing scientifically literate students. The student activities are organized by guided activities and independent exercises. Themes of the guided activities include xenotransplants, immunizations, household cleaning products, ozone,…

Practical Activities in Astronomy for Nonscience Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bisard, Walter J.

1985-01-01

Describes science activities which have been successful with nonscience majors. Each activity requires students to make observations, record the data gathered, interpret data, and prepare a written report. Subject areas include motion of stars, sunspots, lunar orbits, sunset points, meteor showers, and sun shadows. (JN)

Quality of Life and Physical Activity among University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çiçek, Güner

2018-01-01

This study was to investigate the physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL) of sports department students (SDS) and other department students (ODS) attending university. A total of 300 university students participated in this study. 150 SDS (age; 20.67 ± 1.65 years) including 89 males and 61 females and 150 ODS (age; 19.45 ± 1.22 years) 56…

A Look at Welcome Week: The Role of College Unions and Student Activities in Welcoming Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudisille, Justin; Stringer, Elizabeth; Thiebe, Gillian

2012-01-01

Members of the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Central Office staff went on the road on August 18-24, 2011, making stops at 20 institutions in six states during the course of seven days. The ACUI Campus Tour: Welcome Week 2011 included visits with college union and student activities staff and students at a variety of…

Be the Volume: A Classroom Activity to Visualize Volume Estimation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikhaylov, Jessica

2011-01-01

A hands-on activity can help multivariable calculus students visualize surfaces and understand volume estimation. This activity can be extended to include the concepts of Fubini's Theorem and the visualization of the curves resulting from cross-sections of the surface. This activity uses students as pillars and a sheet or tablecloth for the…

Candidates, Campaigns, & Elections: Projects, Activities, Literature Links. Grades 4-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scher, Linda; Johnson, Mary Oates

This resource book provides activities about elections and campaigns that involve students in active learning. The book introduces students to the organization of government and how politicians present themselves and are covered by the media. The activities include literature links, primary sources, and maps and charts for tracking results. The…

Relations of Physical Activity and Stress Vulnerability in University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Furong; Liu, Wenhao; Chepyator-Thomson, Jepkorir Rose; Schmidlein, Robert

2018-01-01

There are increased concerns about depression and anxiety among college students. Thus in need of actions to find proper intervention strategies to target this issue. The purpose of this study was to examine association between leisure-time physical activity and stress vulnerability among college students. A modified survey including physical…

Using the Newspaper with Gifted Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guenther, John; And Others

This guide on using the newspaper is designed for secondary students in gifted education programs. Activities included in the guide can be used with a full range of subject areas, as students actually use the newspaper as the learning resource. The 50 activities are organized around the sections of the newspaper (general, news, editorials,…

The 4M compaNy: Make Mine Metric Mystery. Fifth Grade Student Booklet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawaii State Dept. of Education, Honolulu.

This student activity manual for elementary students is designed to teach several concepts related to the metric system and measurement. Included are activities related to length, area, volume, conversion of metric units, and computation skills with decimals (addition, subtraction, and division). Cartoons are used extensively to appeal to student…

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…

Bubble Festival: Presenting Bubble Activities in a Learning Station Format. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barber, Jacqueline; Willard, Carolyn

This learning station guide adapts the Bubble Festival, an all-school event, for individual classrooms. It presents students with a variety of different challenges at learning stations set up around the classroom. The activities are student-centered and involve open-ended investigations. Also included are ways to extend students' experiences at…

Associations between Physical Activity and Reduced Rates of Hopelessness, Depression, and Suicidal Behavior among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taliaferro, Lindsay A.; Rienzo, Barbara A.; Pigg, R. Morgan; Miller, M. David; Dodd, Virginia J.

2009-01-01

Objective: The authors explored associations among types of physical activity and hopelessness, depression, and suicidal behavior among college students. Participants: Participants included 43,499 college students aged 18 to 25 who completed the 2005 National College Health Assessment conducted by the American College Health Association. Methods:…

The Lesson That Flew: A Political-Action Primer for Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scharle, Catherine M.

1993-01-01

Describes the activities in a high school English class aimed at bringing attention through the media to a local political issue. Outlines how teachers can initiate students into acts of social and political activism by writing letters. Narrates how one teacher got students directly involved with a local sewage-treatment problem. Includes an…

Technology in College Unions and Student Activities: A Collection of Technology Resources from the ACUI Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of College Unions International (NJ1), 2012

2012-01-01

This publication presents a collection of technology resources from the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) community. Contents include: (1) Podcasting (Jeff Lail); (2) Video Podcasting (Ed Cabellon); (3) Building a Multimedia Production Center (Nathan Byrer); (4) Cloud Computing in the Student Union and Student Activities (TJ…

Exploring Norms and Moral Authority through Content Analysis of Classic Texts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Richard Cheever

1993-01-01

Describes a class assignment for a college-level sociology course in which students read from religious texts to identify norms and sanctions. Reports that students expressed positive comments about the activity. Includes suggestions for preparing materials, instructions for implementing the activity, and a coding sheet to be used by students.…

How-To-Do-It: Pig Foot Anatomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Paula M.

1988-01-01

Described is an activity used to introduce the anatomy of the skeletal and muscular systems. A teacher conducted, video enhanced demonstration and a student activity are discussed. Included is a sample student laboratory paper. (CW)

Recycling Research. Tracking Trash.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLago, Louise Furia

1991-01-01

An activity in which students research the effectiveness of recycling is presented. Students compare the types and amount of litter both before and after recycling is implemented. Directions for the activity and a sample data sheet are included. (KR)

Birthdays and the Binary System: A Magical Mixture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karp, Karen S.; Ronau, Robert N.

1997-01-01

Presents an activity involving the use of students' birth dates. Activity includes a classic binary representation of numerical values. In the Green Machine, Sorting Cards, and Window Cards, students observe, describe, and analyze patterns. (PVD)

Atmosphere Kits: Hands-On Learning Activities with a Foundation in NASA Earth Science Missions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teige, V.; McCrea, S.; Damadeo, K.; Taylor, J.; Lewis, P. M., Jr.; Chambers, L. H.

2016-12-01

The Science Directorate (SD) at NASA Langley Research Center provides many opportunities to involve students, faculty, researchers, and the citizen science community in real world science. The SD Education Team collaborates with the education community to bring authentic Earth science practices and real-world data into the classroom, provide the public with unique NASA experiences, engaging activities, and advanced technology, and provide products developed and reviewed by science and education experts. Our goals include inspiring the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professionals and improving STEM literacy by providing innovative participation pathways for educators, students, and the public. The SD Education Team has developed Atmosphere activity kits featuring cloud and aerosol learning activities with a foundation in NASA Earth Science Missions, the Next Generation Science Standards, and The GLOBE Program's Elementary Storybooks. Through cloud kit activities, students will learn how to make estimates from observations and how to categorize and classify specific cloud properties, including cloud height, cloud cover, and basic cloud types. The purpose of the aerosol kit is to introduce students to aerosols and how they can affect the colors we see in the sky. Students will engage in active observation and reporting, explore properties of light, and model the effects of changing amounts/sizes or aerosols on sky color and visibility. Learning activity extensions include participation in ground data collection of environmental conditions and comparison and analysis to related NASA data sets, including but not limited to CERES, CALIPSO, CloudSat, and SAGE III on ISS. This presentation will provide an overview of multiple K-6 NASA Earth Science hands-on activities and free resources will be available.

Sustainable Agriculture as a Recruitment Tool for Geoscience Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enright, K. P.; Gilbert, L. A.; McGillis, A.

2014-12-01

Small-scale agriculture has exploded with popularity in recent years, as teenagers and college students gain interest in local food sources. Outdoor experiences, including gardening and farming, are often among the motivations for students to take their first geoscience courses in college. The methods and theories of small agriculture translate well into geologic research questions, especially in the unique setting of college campus farms and gardens. We propose an activity or assignment to engage student-farmers in thinking about geosciences, and connect them with geoscience departments as a gateway to the major and career field. Furthermore, the activity will encourage a new generation of passionate young farmers to integrate the principles of earth science into their design and implementation of more sustainable food systems. The activity includes mapping, soil sampling, and interviewing professionals in agriculture and geology, and results in the students writing a series of recommendations for their campus or other farm. The activity includes assessment tools for instructors and can be used to give credit for a summer farming internship or as part of a regular course. We believe reaching out to students interested in farming could be an important recruitment tool for geosciences and helps build interdisciplinary and community partnerships.

Geotechnical engineering in US elementary schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suescun-Florez, Eduardo; Iskander, Magued; Kapila, Vikram; Cain, Ryan

2013-06-01

This paper reports on the results of several geotechnical engineering-related science activities conducted with elementary-school students. Activities presented include soil permeability, contact stress, soil stratigraphy, shallow and deep foundations, and erosion in rivers. The permeability activity employed the LEGO NXT platform for data acquisition, the soil profile and foundations activity employed natural and transparent soils as well as LEGO-based foundation models, and the erosion activity utilised a 3D printer to assist with construction of building models. The activities seek to enhance students' academic achievement, excite them about geotechnical engineering, and motivate them to study science and math. Pre- and post-activity evaluations were conducted to assess both the suitability of the activities and the students' learning. Initial results show that students gain a reasonable understanding of engineering principles. Moreover, the geotechnical engineering activities provided students an opportunity to apply their math skills and science knowledge.

Collecting and Using Original Student Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Lesley S. J.

2001-01-01

Examines innovative ways for school libraries to collect organize, and make effective use of student work. Highlights include recognizing original work; student writing; student posters of favorite books or characters; databases for organizing information; videotaping of students' activities and presentations; electronic products; events;…

The influence of contextual teaching with the problem solving method on students' knowledge and attitudes toward horticulture, science, and school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitcher, Carrie Lynn

2005-08-01

Adolescence is marked with many changes in the development of higher order thinking skills. As students enter high school they are expected to utilize these skills to solve problems, become abstract thinkers, and contribute to society. The goal of this study was to assess horticultural science knowledge achievement and attitude toward horticulture, science, and school in high school agriculture students. There were approximately 240 high school students in the sample including both experimental and control groups from California and Washington. Students in the experimental group participated in an educational program called "Hands-On Hortscience" which emphasized problem solving in investigation and experimentation activities with greenhouse plants, soilless media, and fertilizers. Students in the control group were taught by the subject matter method. The activities included in the Hands-On Hortscience curriculum were created to reinforce teaching the scientific method through the context of horticulture. The objectives included evaluating whether the students participating in the Hands-On Hortscience experimental group benefited in the areas of science literacy, data acquisition and analysis, and attitude toward horticulture, science, and school. Pre-tests were administered in both the experimental and control groups prior to the research activities and post-tests were administered after completion. The survey questionnaire included a biographical section and attitude survey. Significant increases in hortscience achievement were found from pre-test to post-test in both control and experimental study groups. The experimental treatment group had statistically higher achievement scores than the control group in the two areas tested: scientific method (p=0.0016) and horticulture plant nutrition (p=0.0004). In addition, the students participating in the Hands-On Hortscience activities had more positive attitudes toward horticulture, science, and school (p=0.0033). Students who were more actively involved in hands-on projects had higher attitude scores compared to students who were taught traditional methods alone. In demographic comparisons, females had more positive attitudes toward horticulture science than males; and students from varying ethnic backgrounds had statistically different achievement (p=0.0001). Ethnicity was determined with few students in each background, 8 in one ethnicity and 10 students in another. Youth organization membership such as FFA or 4-H had no significant bearing on achievement or attitude.

Medical Student Preferences for Self-Directed Study Resources in Gross Anatomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi-Lundberg, Derek L.; Low, Tze Feng; Patman, Phillip; Turner, Paul; Sinha, Sankar N.

2016-01-01

Gross anatomy instruction in medical curricula involve a range of resources and activities including dissection, prosected specimens, anatomical models, radiological images, surface anatomy, textbooks, atlases, and computer-assisted learning (CAL). These resources and activities are underpinned by the expectation that students will actively engage…

Emotionally Intense Science Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Donna; Ritchie, Stephen; Sandhu, Maryam; Henderson, Senka

2015-01-01

Science activities that evoke positive emotional responses make a difference to students' emotional experience of science. In this study, we explored 8th Grade students' discrete emotions expressed during science activities in a unit on Energy. Multiple data sources including classroom videos, interviews and emotion diaries completed at the end of…

Teaching chemistry concepts using differentiated instruction via tiered labs and activity menus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Betsy C.

Today's high school classrooms are composed of students with different levels of knowing and ways of understanding. Differentiating the type of work that they are asked to do to achieve the same objective is one way to meet each student's special circumstances on a somewhat equal playing field. By doing so, students are being challenged at their level rather than just blindly going through the same motions that they see others around them doing. Offering students choices to better understand a concept places the student in the driver seat of their educational journey. The purpose of this research project was to design and implement choice activities within the chemistry classroom to more appropriately teach and assess chemistry concepts and assess understanding of those concepts. These choice activities included tiered-laboratory investigations and activity menus. This project was implemented over the course of two trimesters in a high school chemistry classroom. Topics covered included calculating and interpreting density and applying significant figures, calculating and interpreting percent composition with the mole concept, and stoichiometry. The effectiveness of the tiered-labs and activity menus were evaluated using pre and post test comparisons, student surveys, and general in-class observations. Gains in conceptual understanding and student motivation were documented. These findings indicated that allowing choice and leveling of skills to achieve the same conceptual understanding promoted student learning and the overall enjoyment and motivation for learning.

Nursing students' attendance at learning activities in relation to attainment and passing courses: A prospective quantitative study.

PubMed

Rejnö, Åsa; Nordin, Per; Forsgren, Susanne; Sundell, Yvonne; Rudolfsson, Gudrun

2017-03-01

Students' motivation and ways of engaging in their schoolwork are important for their performance, including passing exams. Attendance at learning activities has also been argued to be of major importance, although no causal relationship with passing exams has been established in nursing education. The aim of this study was to describe the impact of attendance at nonmandatory learning activities on attainment, in terms of passing or failing of exams, in nursing education courses including both mandatory and non-mandatory activities. A prospective quantitative design. The nursing education programme at a Swedish university. Nursing students (n=361) from two courses and four classes within the nursing programme. Attendance was registered at every non-mandatory teaching activity by asking the students to note their attendance on a list. Data such as sex, age, and whether the students had passed the exam were also collected for each course and each semester separately. Increased participation was associated with an increasing proportion of students passing the exam. The chance of passing the exam increased by 13% for every additional learning occasion attended. Logistic regression showed an OR of 5.4 for an attendance of 100%. An increase in attendance gave a higher proportion of exam passes. Encouraging students to attend non-mandatory learning activities could be of value, and potentially contribute to an increased graduation rate for nursing students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

REU Site: Yosemite Research Training in Environmental Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conklin, M. H.; Dayrat, B.

2009-12-01

The Yosemite Research Training in Environmental Science offers undergraduate students a unique opportunity to actively experience field research in Environmental Science in a premier National Park, over a nine-week period in the summer. The Yosemite REU is a collaboration between three institutions: the University of California at Merced, Yosemite National Park, and the USGS Western Ecological Research Center. Student activities mainly consist of individual research projects, spanning a broad range of disciplines such as Ecology, Geosciences, Biodiversity, Conservation, Restoration, and Hydrology. All projects include a strong field component. Students are exposed to the benefits of multi-disciplinary research in weekly meetings in which all students talk about their most recent work. Students present their research in Yosemite Valley at the end of the program before a public audience (including visitors). Research training is provided by mentors from UC Merced (Schools of Natural Sciences, Engineering, and Social Sciences) and the USGS Western Ecological Research Center. In addition to their interactions with their mentors and other faculty, students have opportunities to meet with NPS professionals engaged in park-related activities, to learn more about the integration of science with resources management and about potential careers in research and science outside academia. Students also participate in field trips led by UCM, USGS, and NPS scientists, focusing on Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. Students attend a weekly seminar in Environmental Science with a broad diversity of speakers, including researchers as well as other science-related professionals, such as freelance science writers and illustrators, as well as NPS scientists and staff. Finally, student participants engage in several other activities, including outreach (e.g., a day-long meeting with high-school Central Valley students from underrepresented minorities). The Yosemite REU has already run for 2 years (with funds still available for another summer in 2010). Each year, eight students have been selected from a large pool of at least 150 complete applications, nationwide (with about 20 to 25% being students from under-represented minorities). Each year, five students out of eight have been from under-represented minorities.

Middle Level Leadership Handbook. National Leadership Camp Curriculum--Student Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Jacquie; And Others

Activities and exercises to enhance student leadership are included in this curriculum guide for middle-level student leaders and their advisors. Because students in intermediate grades are not "little high school students," this separate leadership curriculum guide for middle-level student leaders was developed. Although the achieved skills are…

Continuous outreach activities performed by a student project team of undergraduates and their program topics in optics and photonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasegawa, Makoto; Tokumitsu, Seika

2016-09-01

The out-of-curriculum project team "Rika-Kobo", organized by undergraduate students, has been actively engaged in a variety of continuous outreach activities in the fields of science and technology including optics and photonics. The targets of their activities cover wide ranges of generations from kids to parents and elderly people, with aiming to promote their interests in various fields of science and technologies. This is an out-of-curriculum project team with about 30 to 40 undergraduate students in several grades and majors. The total number of their activities per year tends to reach 80 to 90 in recent years. Typical activities to be performed by the project team include science classes in elementary and/or secondary schools, science classes at other educational facilities such as science museums, and experiment demonstrations at science events. Popular topics cover wide ranges from explanations and demonstrations of nature phenomena, such as rainbow colors, blue sky, sunset color, to demonstration experiments related to engineering applications, such as polarization of light, LEDs, and optical communications. Experimental topics in optics and photonics are especially popular to the audiences. Those activities are very effective to enhance interests of the audiences in learning related knowledges, irrespective of their generations. Those activities are also helpful for the student members to achieve and/or renew scientific knowledges. In addition, each of the activities provides the student members with effective and advantageous Project-Based-Learning (PBL) style experiences including manufacturing experiences, which are advantageous to cultivate their engineering skills.

Authentic Assessment in the Geometry Classroom: Calculating the Classroom Air-Exchange Rate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erich, David J.

2002-01-01

Introduces a room air-exchange activity designed to assess student understanding of the concept of volume. Lists materials for the activity and its procedures. Includes the lesson plan and a student worksheet. (KHR)

Learning Activities: Students and Recycling. [and] Automobile Aerodynamics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Charles H., Jr.; Schieber, Rich

1994-01-01

The first learning activity is intended to heighten students' awareness of the need for recycling, reuse, and reduction of materials; the second explores the aerodynamics of automobiles. Both include context, concept, objectives, procedure, and materials needed. (SK)

3 Ways.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bostick, Darla F.; And Others.

1982-01-01

Describes one classroom art activity and two events celebrating Youth Art Month. In the activity, junior high school students created collages and then made drawings from the collages. The events included student art demonstrations in shopping malls and other experiential art workshops. (AM)

Advertising Art Work in Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skophammer, Karen

2002-01-01

Presents an activity where students select a social problem or cause and then create a poster to express something about the problem. States that students first learn about the history of posters. Includes learning objectives and an additional activity. (CMK)

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Sign Language: Engaging Undergraduate Students' Critical Thinking Skills Using the Primary Literature.

PubMed

Stevens, Courtney

2015-01-01

This article presents a modular activity on the neurobiology of sign language that engages undergraduate students in reading and analyzing the primary functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) literature. Drawing on a seed empirical article and subsequently published critique and rebuttal, students are introduced to a scientific debate concerning the functional significance of right-hemisphere recruitment observed in some fMRI studies of sign language processing. The activity requires minimal background knowledge and is not designed to provide students with a specific conclusion regarding the debate. Instead, the activity and set of articles allow students to consider key issues in experimental design and analysis of the primary literature, including critical thinking regarding the cognitive subtractions used in blocked-design fMRI studies, as well as possible confounds in comparing results across different experimental tasks. By presenting articles representing different perspectives, each cogently argued by leading scientists, the readings and activity also model the type of debate and dialogue critical to science, but often invisible to undergraduate science students. Student self-report data indicate that undergraduates find the readings interesting and that the activity enhances their ability to read and interpret primary fMRI articles, including evaluating research design and considering alternate explanations of study results. As a stand-alone activity completed primarily in one 60-minute class block, the activity can be easily incorporated into existing courses, providing students with an introduction both to the analysis of empirical fMRI articles and to the role of debate and critique in the field of neuroscience.

Your Paycheck. Cooperative Work Experience Learning Activity Packet: Series on Job Entry and Adjustment; Packet Five.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herschbach, Dennis R.; And Others

This student booklet is fifth in an illustrated series of eleven learning activity packets for use in teaching job hunting and application procedures and the management of wages to secondary students. Two units are included in this packet: the first describing the various ways of being paid: salary (including overtime and compensatory time),…

The impact of the inclusion of students with handicaps and disabilities in the regular education science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donald, Cathey Nolan

This study was conducted to determine the impact of the inclusion of students with handicaps and disabilities in the regular education science classroom. Surveys were mailed to the members of the Alabama Science Teachers Association to obtain information from teachers in inclusive classrooms. Survey responses from teachers provide insight into these classrooms. This study reports the results of the teachers surveyed. Results indicate multiple changes occur in the educational opportunities presented to regular education students when students with handicaps and disabilities are included in the regular science classroom. Responding teachers (60%) report omitting activities that formerly provided experiences for students, such as laboratory activities using dangerous materials, field activities, and some group activities. Also omitted, in many instances (64.1%), are skill building opportunities of word problems and higher order thinking skills. Regular education students participate in classes where discipline problems related to included students are reported as the teachers most time consuming task. In these classrooms, directions are repeated frequently, reteaching of material already taught occurs, and the pace of instruction has been slowed. These changes to the regular classroom occur across school levels. Many teachers (44.9%) report they do not see benefits associated with the inclusion of students with special needs in the regular classroom.

Active-learning strategies to develop health literacy knowledge and skills.

PubMed

Devraj, Radhika; Butler, Lakesha M; Gupchup, Gireesh V; Poirier, Therese I

2010-10-11

To implement active-learning exercises in a required pharmacy course and assess their impact on students' knowledge and confidence in identifying and communicating with patients with low health literacy, as part of a required course in cultural competency, health literacy, and health beliefs. Active-learning activities including administering health literacy assessments, identifying informal signs of low health literacy, conducting mock patient counseling sessions, rating the readability of drug information, analyzing information in drug advertisements, and writing patient education materials were incorporated into the 6-sesssion health literacy portion of the course. A pretest and posttest showed that students' knowledge of health literacy increased, and a retrospective pretest found improvement in students' confidence in their ability to care for patients with low health literacy. In-class discussions provided informal evidence that students gained new knowledge from the active-learning activities. The addition of active-learning activities was effective in teaching health literacy concepts to pharmacy students.

Evaluation of Emotional Literacy Activities: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oksuz, Yucel

2016-01-01

The present study aims to evaluate impact of the emotional literacy activities through participant student's experiences. Emotional literacy activities, including social-emotional skills Goleman's emotional intelligence and Fapuel's emotional literacy model designed and conducted for 2 months on primary school students, who study in 4th grade. The…

PALS: Parent Activities for Learning Basic Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia.

Developed for K-3 teachers to send home with their students, this collection of learning activities and games is offered to help reinforce students' language arts and mathematics skills and to enhance parental involvement. Suggestions to the teacher include sending home only those pages containing activities for skills currently being studied and…

A Classroom Activity Exploring the Complexity of Sexual Orientation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madson, Laura

2001-01-01

Describes an activity in which students categorize the sexual orientation (heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual) of 10 fictional people. Students study aspects of sexual orientation, including its resistance to rigid and consistent definitions. The activity has been used in Psychology of Women, Sexual Behavior, and Psychology of Sexual Orientation…

Differences in Extracurricular Activity Participation Intensity among Middle School Students: Implications for Hispanic Youths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villarreal, Victor

2017-01-01

Extracurricular activity participation has been associated with a multitude of positive outcomes, including school completion, and research suggests that students at risk for school failure are particularly likely to benefit from participation. However, before extracurricular activity participation can be promoted to address such issues,…

Nordic Walking: A Simple Lifetime Physical Activity for Every Student

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos, Luis; Fernandez-Rio, Javier

2013-01-01

Children who become competent in a wide variety of motor skills and movement patterns are more likely to remain physically active for life. Physical education can achieve this goal by providing an extensive selection of activities and by including learning units that encourage students to increase their skill level and stay active year-round.…

A Balanced Approach to Managing Student Meal Charges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frye, Lisa K.

2012-01-01

As with most things in life, managing student meal charges is all about balance. To be successful, the program needs to include a fair and reasonable policy, to serve nutritious and flavorful meals, and to include students as active stakeholders in the program. A plan that acknowledges simple forgetfulness, explains expectations of all…

Exploring the Effects of Including Students' Ideas and Concerns on Their Participation in Online Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuyini, Ahmed Bawa

2011-01-01

As higher education institutions progressively deliver many more courses through online mode, student retention in courses and ensuring participation in tasks and activities are becoming more a concern to teachers and educational institutions. This pilot study--an action learning project--explored the effect of including students' identified…

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…

Using Word Clouds for Fast, Formative Assessment of Students' Short Written Responses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Bill J.; Gilbuena, Debra M.; Krause, Stephen J.; Koretsky, Milo D.

2014-01-01

Active learning in class helps students develop deeper understanding of chemical engineering principles. While the use of multiple-choice ConcepTests is clearly effective, we advocate for including student writing in learning activities as well. In this article, we demonstrate that word clouds can provide a quick analytical technique to assess…

An Analysis of Middle School Students Physical Education Physical Activity Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Grant; Hannon, James C.

2008-01-01

The idea of providing student's choice over curricular offerings in physical education has gained a considerable amount of attention in recent years. The purpose of this study was to determine which physical education activities middle school students would like to have included in the yearly curriculum and if there were differences in responses…

"Drunkorexia": Understanding Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors of Weight Conscious Drinkers in a Sample of College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkerson, Amanda H.; Hackman, Christine L.; Rush, Sarah E.; Usdan, Stuart L.; Smith, Corinne S.

2017-01-01

Objective: Behaviors of weight conscious drinkers (BWCD) include disordered eating, excessive physical activity (PA), and heavy episodic drinking. Considering that approximately 25% of the college students report BWCD, it is important to investigate what characteristics increase the likelihood of college students engaged in BWCD for both moderate…

Predicting Middle School Students' Use of Web 2.0 Technologies out of School Using Home and School Technological Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Joan E.; Read, Michelle F.; Jones, Sara; Mahometa, Michael

2015-01-01

This study used multiple regression to identify predictors of middle school students' Web 2.0 activities out of school, a construct composed of 15 technology activities. Three middle schools participated, where sixth- and seventh-grade students completed a questionnaire. Independent predictor variables included three demographic and five computer…

Record Number of Summer Students Work at Ames in 2014

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-09-16

NASA's Ames Research Center concluded the 2014 summer student program session that featured a record number of participants from around the globe. More than 1,100 students with high school- to graduate-level education took part in a wide variety of science activities. Some of the activities included robotics, aeronautics, biology, computer science, engineering and astrophysics.

[Systemic learning planification for medical students during oncology clinical rotation].

PubMed

Gonçalves, Anthony; Viens, Patrice; Gilabert, Marine; Turrini, Olivier; Lambaudie, Eric; Prebet, Thomas; Farnault, Bertrand; Eisinger, François; Gorincour, Guillaume; Bertucci, François

2011-12-01

The expected increase in cancer incidence emphasizes the need for specific training in this area, including either family physician or specialized oncologists. In France, the fourth to sixth years of medical teaching include both theoretical classes at the university and daily actual practice at the hospital. Thus, clinical rotations are thought to play a major role in the training of medical students and also largely participate to the choice of the student of his/her final specialty. Pedagogic quality of these rotations is dependent on multiple parameters, including a rigorous planification of the expected learning. Here, we reported a systemic planification of learning activities for medical students during an oncology rotation at the Paoli-Calmettes Institute in Marseille, France, a regional comprehensive cancer center. This planification includes an evaluation of learning requirements, definition of learning objectives, selection of learning methods and choice of methods of assessment of the students' achievement of these objectives as well as the learning activity itself.

The effect of before school physical activity on child development: A study protocol to evaluate the Build Our Kids Success (BOKS) Program.

PubMed

Pojednic, Rachele; Peabody, Stephanie; Carson, Shelley; Kennedy, Mary; Bevans, Katherine; Phillips, Edward M

2016-07-01

Most childhood physical activity interventions focus on reducing childhood obesity with varying success, indicating that body mass index (BMI) may be a limited marker of health in children. To better understand overall childhood health and wellbeing, this study is investigating BOKS (Build Our Kids Success), an established ongoing before-school physical activity program, to evaluate students' physical health, mental health, cognitive capacity, and academic performance. The study is a non-randomized controlled trial with 26 elementary and middle schools in 3 Massachusetts communities, including first through eighth grade (aged 5-14) students, their parents, and teachers. Data collection is occurring during the 2015-2016 school year. Physical fitness is being assessed via 400m run and anthropometrics via height and weight measures (BMI). Psychosocial outcomes are being assessed via student, parent, and teacher survey and include nutrition, daily activities, emotional and relationship scales, bullying and victimization, vitality and energy, student engagement, stress, positive affect, self-efficacy and life satisfaction. Academic performance is reported by grades. Statistical methods include a psychometric evaluation of study measures, Pearson correlations, Student's t-tests, ANOVA/ANCOVA and multivariate linear regression including multilevel modeling analyses to account for the hierarchical organization of the data. This study is investigating a before school physical activity program on parameters of physical health, mental health, cognitive capacity, and academic performance by employing a novel triad approach, correlating the input of the child, parent, and teacher. Outcomes will evaluate the effectiveness of a before school physical activity program in elementary and middle schools and potentially provide valuable information for schools looking to institute innovative physical activity programs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving the Laboratory Experience for Introductory Geology Students Using Active Learning and Evidence-Based Reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oien, R. P.; Anders, A. M.; Long, A.

2014-12-01

We present the initial results of transitioning laboratory activities in an introductory physical geology course from passive to active learning. Educational research demonstrates that student-driven investigations promote increased engagement and better retention of material. Surveys of students in introductory physical geology helped us identify lab activities which do not engage students. We designed new lab activities to be more collaborative, open-ended and "hands-on". Student feedback was most negative for lab activities which are computer-based. In response, we have removed computers from the lab space and increased the length and number of activities involving physical manipulation of samples and models. These changes required investment in lab equipment and supplies. New lab activities also include student-driven exploration of data with open-ended responses. Student-evaluations of the new lab activities will be compiled during Fall 2014 and Spring 2015 to allow us to measure the impact of the changes on student satisfaction and we will report on our findings to date. Modification of this course has been sponsored by NSF's Widening Implementation & Demonstration of Evidence Based Reforms (WIDER) program through grant #1347722 to the University of Illinois. The overall goal of the grant is to increase retention and satisfaction of STEM students in introductory courses.

It's A Gassy World: Middle School Students Investigate Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, C.

2016-12-01

When middle school students are asked about our changing earth system, their responses likely include terms like global warming, climate change, and greenhouse gases. However, many students struggle to understand how it all fits together, and sometimes they hear conflicting information or myths about climate change. This activity allows students to explore the impacts of warming oceans and oceans' absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) through a student planned and carried out investigation that begins with a pre-laboratory engagement and exploration piece, includes a laboratory component, and concludes with an explanation where students analyze their data and interpret their results through the claim-evidence-reasoning framework. It's a Gassy World was developed with three-dimensional instruction in mind to introduce middle school students to the relationship between warming oceans and changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption in the oceans. Students explore disciplinary core ideas in the Earth and Space Sciences discipline of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) using crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices. Specifically, students study CO2 as a greenhouse gas and the effect of increased atmospheric CO2 levels on global climate change by planning and carrying out their own investigations. We structured this activity in a 5E format that can take place in four to five days during a climate change unit. After piloting this activity in over 20 formal classrooms and with 5 informal education groups, we have seen how It's a Gassy World helps support inquiry in the classroom and allows students to experience crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices in NGSS. We found that students were engaged and actively learning throughout the activity. Student work and pilot teacher feedback indicated that, through this activity, many students increased their understanding of CO2 as a greenhouse gas and recognized that warmer oceans will absorb less CO2, resulting in more CO2 in the atmosphere.

Relationship between sport and physical activity and alcohol consumption among adolescents students in Murcia (Spain).

PubMed

López Villalba, Francisco J; Rodríguez García, Pedro L; García Cantó, Eliseo; Pérez Soto, Juan J

2016-04-01

Sports and physical activity are major components of a healthy lifestyle. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between sport and physical activity and alcohol consumption among adolescent students based on gender. Descriptive, crosssectional, comparative study conducted in adolescent students (aged between 14 and 17 years old) from the Region of Murcia in 2014. Sport and physical activity was assessed using a validated, adapted survey that included both the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Monitoring the Future survey. Eleven school facilities from different districts of the Region of Murcia (Spain) participated. Five hundred and sixty-four adolescent students were included. Among boys, 51.8% reported to be regularly active, versus 21.8% of girls. Significant differences were observed in terms of alcohol consumption by gender (31.1% for boys versus 48.2% for girls, p = 0.000). A significant, reverse relationship between sport and physical activity and alcohol consumption was observed among both boys and girls. The level of sport and physical activity is higher among adolescent boys than girls. Sport and physical activity shows a positive association with a lower level of alcohol consumption among both genders. Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.

The Gifted and Honors Program at Ridgeroad Jr. High.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moody, Bonnie

1984-01-01

Describes a science program for honors students that offers a blend of both teacher-directed and student-directed activities. Includes information on instructional strategies used, independent student study projects, financial considerations, grading, and student reaction to the program. (JN)

University students' definitions of sexual abstinence and having sex.

PubMed

Byers, E Sandra; Henderson, Joel; Hobson, Kristina M

2009-10-01

We asked 298 heterosexual Canadian university students about their definitions of the terms abstinence and having sex. For both terms, students were provided with a list of 17 sexual behaviors and indicated whether they would include each in their definition. The majority of both male and female students included activities that did not involve genital stimulation in their definition of sexual abstinence and did not include these activities in their definition of having sex. Conversely, most students did not include bidirectional sexual stimulation (penile-vaginal intercourse or penile-anal intercourse) in their definitions of sexual abstinence but did include them in their definitions of having sex. Students were quite mixed in whether activities involving unidirectional genital stimulation (e.g., oral sex, genital fondling) constituted abstinence, having sex, or neither abstinence nor having sex. However, they were more likely to see these behaviors as abstinent than as having sex. Students were more likely to rate a behavior as abstinence if orgasm did not occur. A canonical correlation analysis was used to examine the patterns of association between a number of predictors and inclusions of behaviors involving no genital stimulation, unidirectional stimulation, and bidirectional genital stimulation in abstinence definitions. The results indicated that male participants who were more involved with their religion and sexually conservative, less sexually experienced, and who had not received sexual health education at home were more likely to define bidirectional genital stimulation and less likely to define no genital stimulation and unidirectional sexual stimulation as sexual abstinence. The research and health promotion implications of these results are discussed.

Physical Science. Teacher's Guide [and Student Guide]. Parallel Alternative Strategies for Students (PASS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danner, Greg, Ed.; Fresen, Sue, Ed.

This teacher's guide and student guide unit contains supplemental readings, activities, and methods adapted for secondary students who have disabilities and other students with diverse learning needs. The materials are designed to help these students succeed in regular education content courses and include simplified text and smaller units of…

Characterizing Student Perceptions of and Buy-In toward Common Formative Assessment Techniques

PubMed Central

Brazeal, Kathleen R.; Brown, Tanya L.; Couch, Brian A.

2016-01-01

Formative assessments (FAs) can occur as preclass assignments, in-class activities, or postclass homework. FAs aim to promote student learning by accomplishing key objectives, including clarifying learning expectations, revealing student thinking to the instructor, providing feedback to the student that promotes learning, facilitating peer interactions, and activating student ownership of learning. While FAs have gained prominence within the education community, we have limited knowledge regarding student perceptions of these activities. We used a mixed-methods approach to determine whether students recognize and value the role of FAs in their learning and how students perceive course activities to align with five key FA objectives. To address these questions, we administered a midsemester survey in seven introductory biology course sections that were using multiple FA techniques. Overall, responses to both open-ended and closed-ended questions revealed that the majority of students held positive perceptions of FAs and perceived FAs to facilitate their learning in a variety of ways. Students consistently considered FA activities to have accomplished particular objectives, but there was greater variation among FAs in how students perceived the achievement of other objectives. We further discuss potential sources of student resistance and implications of these results for instructor practice. PMID:27909023

Tips from the Classroom: Word Building [and] Can't Say "Yes" or "No" [and] Three-Peat or How to Engage Students in Revising Their Oral Presentations [and] Taking the Minutes Is Time Well Spent [and] Puzzles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicklous, Nan G.; And Others

1997-01-01

Presents useful tips for improving classroom learning. These include inviting native- and nonnative-English-speaking students to engage in world building while improving their language and cultural knowledge; highly motivated conversational activities; students' revision of their oral presentations; having students record classroom activities; and…

Online activities to optimize in person learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stelzer, Tim

Students' unprecedented access to content on the web is providing a unique opportunity to transform the role lectures in education, moving the focus from content delivery to helping students synthesize the content into knowledge. We have introduced a variety of activities to facilitate this transformation at the University of Illinois, including web-based preflight assessments of student understanding before lecture, peer instruction (clickers) to assess and facilitate student understanding during lecture, and web-based multimedia pre-lectures designed to provide students with content before lecture. In this talk I will discuss the pedagogical motivation for introducing these activities, and the impact they have had at the University of Illinois. .

Intervention activities to improve the reasoning ability of students at risk in introductory physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coletta, Vincent P.; Phillips, J.

2006-12-01

We describe a number of activities we have begun using in interventions targeting students who are at risk in introductory college physics courses. Some are adaptations of the work of others with pre-high school children, including Philip Adey in Great Britain (Cognitive Acceleration though Science Education), Reuven Feuerstein in Israel (Instrumental Enrichment), and Kurtz and Karplus in the U. S. in the 70’s (Numerical Relationships). We have also added some other activities, including Sudoku strategy development.

An internet-supported school physical activity intervention in low socioeconomic status communities: results from the Activity and Motivation in Physical Education (AMPED) cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Lonsdale, Chris; Lester, Aidan; Owen, Katherine B; White, Rhiannon L; Peralta, Louisa; Kirwan, Morwenna; Diallo, Thierno M O; Maeder, Anthony J; Bennie, Andrew; MacMillan, Freya; Kolt, Gregory S; Ntoumanis, Nikos; Gore, Jennifer M; Cerin, Ester; Cliff, Dylan P; Lubans, David R

2017-10-09

Quality physical education (PE) is the cornerstone of comprehensive school physical activity (PA) promotion programmes. We tested the efficacy of a teacher professional learning intervention, delivered partially via the internet, designed to maximise opportunities for students to be active during PE lessons and enhance adolescents' motivation towards PE and PA. A two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with teachers and Grade 8 students from secondary schools in low socioeconomic areas of Western Sydney, Australia. The Activity and Motivation in Physical Education (AMPED) intervention for secondary school PE teachers included workshops, online learning, implementation tasks and mentoring sessions. The primary outcome was the proportion of PE lesson time that students spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), measured by accelerometers at baseline, postintervention (7-8 months after baseline) and maintenance (14-15 months). Secondary outcomes included observed PE teachers' behaviour during lessons, students' leisure-time PA and students' motivation. Students (n=1421) from 14 schools completed baseline assessments and were included in linear mixed model analyses. The intervention had positive effects on students' MVPA during lessons. At postintervention, the adjusted mean difference in the proportion of lesson time spent in MVPA was 5.58% (p<0.001, approximately 4 min/lesson). During the maintenance phase, this effect was 2.64% (p<0.001, approximately 2 min/lesson). The intervention had positive effects on teachers' behaviour, but did not impact students' motivation. AMPED produced modest improvements in MVPA and compares favourably with previous interventions delivered exclusively face-to-face. Online teacher training could help facilitate widespread dissemination of professional learning interventions. ACTRN12614000184673. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Learner factors associated with radical conceptual change among undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, Joanne Kay

Students frequently enter learning situations with knowledge inconsistent with scientific views. One goal of science instruction is to enable students to construct scientifically accepted ideas while rejecting inaccurate constructs. This process is called conceptual change. This study examined factors associated with students at three levels of conceptual change to elucidate possible influences on the conceptual change process. Factors studied included motivation (including utility value, interest, attainment value, mood, self efficacy, and task difficulty), prior experiences with science, perceptions of the nature of science, connections to objects or events outside the classroom, and specific activities that helped students learn. Four science classes for undergraduate preservice elementary teachers participated in the study, conducted during a three week unit on electricity. Data sources included concept maps, drawings, reflective journal entries, quizzes, a science autobiography assignment, and interviews. Concept maps, drawings, and quizzes were analyzed, and students were placed into high, moderate, and low conceptual change groups. Of the ninety-eight students in the study, fifty-seven were interviewed. Perhaps the most important finding of this study relates to the assessment of conceptual change. Interviews were conducted two months after the unit, and many items on the concept maps had decayed from students' memories. This indicates that time is an important factor. In addition, interview-derived data demonstrated conceptual change levels; concept maps were insufficient to indicate the depth of students' understanding. Factors associated with conceptual change include self efficacy and interest in topic. In addition, moderate conceptual change students cited specific activities as having helped them learn. Low and high students focused on the method of instruction rather than specific activities. Factors not found to be associated with conceptual change include: utility value, mood, task difficulty, and prior experiences with science, and connections to objects and events outside the classroom. Attainment value, perceptions of the nature of science, and mood cannot be ruled out as possible factors due to the problematic nature of assessing them within the context of this study.

Fossil Simulation in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoehn, Robert G.

1977-01-01

Describes classroom science demonstrations and experiments that simulate the process of fossil formation. Lists materials, procedures and suggestions for successful activities. Includes ten student activities (coral fossils, leaf fossils, leaf scars, carbonization, etc.). Describes a fossil game in which students work in pairs. (CS)

Elementary GLOBE: Inquiring About the Earth System Through Elementary Student Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, S.; Hatheway, B.; Gardiner, L.; Gallagher, S.

2006-12-01

Elementary GLOBE was designed to introduce K-4 students to the study of Earth System Science (ESS). Elementary GLOBE forms an instructional unit comprised of five modules that address ESS and interrelated subjects including weather, hydrology, seasons, and soils. Each Elementary GLOBE module contains a science based storybook, classroom learning activities that complement the science content covered in each book, and teacher's notes. The storybooks explore a component of the Earth system and the associated classroom learning activities provide students with a meaningful introduction to technology, a basic understanding of the methods of inquiry, and connection to math and literacy skills. The science content in the books and activities serves as a springboard to GLOBE's scientific protocols. All Elementary GLOBE materials are freely downloadable (www.globe.gov/elementaryglobe) The use of science storybooks with elementary students has proven to be an effective practice in exposing students to science content while providing opportunities for students to improve their reading, writing, and oral communication skills. The Elementary GLOBE storybooks portray kids asking questions about the natural world, doing science investigations, and exploring the world around them. Through the storybook characters, scientific inquiry is modeled for young learners. The associated learning activities provide opportunities for students to practice science inquiry and investigation skills, including observation, recording, measuring, etc. Students also gain exposure and increase their comfort with different tools that scientists use. The learning activities give students experiences with asking questions, conducting scientific investigations, and scientific journaling. Elementary GLOBE fills an important niche in K-4 instruction. The international GLOBE Program brings together students, teachers, and scientists with the basic goals of increasing scientific understanding of the Earth, supporting improved student achievement in science and math, and enhancing environmental awareness. NASA provides the primary source of funding for GLOBE.

Building New Partnerships--Museums, Universities, and Schools: A "Rocks and Minerals" Thematic Loan Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, George E.; And Others

Ten activities that feature a hands-on, student inquiry-based investigatory approach to rocks and minerals are presented. "Guided discovery" and/or inquiry instructional strategies are emphasized. They focus on a student-centered active classroom. Each activity includes the heading, science content, the scientific process skills, objective or…

Protect Minnesota's Agricultural Land: Components and Activities for Elementary Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noy, Laura

An endeavor to alert elementary teachers and students to the need to protect and conserve one of Minnesota's basic resources, soil, these supplementary instructional activities are designed for easy integration into science, social studies, language arts, mathematics, and art subject and skill areas. Each activity includes a brief description of…

Introduction to Vocations Comprehensive Middle School Program: Mathematics Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gartner, Karen; And Others

Junior high or middle school student activities in mathematics are provided for three entry level occupations in each of fifteen career clusters. The fifteen cluster titles including one of the three occupations for each cluster with an example of a student activity follow: (1) Agri-business and Natural Resources (cropdusting pilot, reading an…

S.T.E.P. - Students Toward Environmental Participation - Into Your Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandt, Sandy, Ed.; Walters, Casey, Ed.

This high school environmental guide uses the Students Toward Environmental Participation (S.T.E.P.) approach. Activities are designed to develop an awareness of the purpose, interrelationship, and wholeness of the earth through activities, games and role-playing. Sample activities include: trust walk, scavenger hunt, nature collage, and alphabet…

Teaching Writing Skills: Global Issues. Skills Series, Volume 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benegar, John

Social studies and language arts teachers can use these self-contained activities to teach writing skills to students in grades 6-12. Some of the activities have a global approach requiring students to write about topics such as human rights and cultural differences. Information provided for each activity includes an introduction, objectives, time…

Drafting. Technology Learning Activity. Teacher Edition. Technology Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This packet of technology learning activity (TLA) materials for drafting for students in grades 6-10 consists of an instructor's section and student materials. The instructor's section contains background information, suggested activities, and a list of suggested resources. A lesson plan for the 8-day module includes assignments; equipment, tools,…

Using Acid-Base Reagent Problems as a High School Science Research Activity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.; Cullen, David; Schlenker, Karl R.

1999-01-01

Describes an open-ended activity in which students try to determine the factors that contribute to an unusual chemical reaction. Uses a case study approach to show students how the presence of chlorine in tap water can interfere with a pH indicator. Includes assessment guidelines and extension activities. (WRM)

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertsche, Harriet; Silvestri, Holly

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

Residential Construction. Technology Learning Activity. Teacher Edition. Technology Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This packet of technology learning activity (TLA) materials for residential construction for students in grades 6-10 consists of an instructor's section and student materials. The instructor's section contains background information, suggested activities, and a list of suggested resources. A lesson plan for the 10-day module includes assignments;…

Active Learning and Teaching: Improving Postsecondary Library Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Eileen E.

1995-01-01

Discusses ways to improve postsecondary library instruction based on theories of active learning. Topics include a historical background of active learning; student achievement and attitudes; cognitive development; risks; active teaching; and instructional techniques, including modified lectures, brainstorming, small group work, cooperative…

Students Engaged in Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ismail, Emad A.; Groccia, James E.

2018-01-01

Engaging students in learning is a basic principle of effective undergraduate education. Outcomes of engaging students include meaningful learning experiences and enhanced skills in all learning domains. This chapter reviews the influence of engaging students in different forms of active learning on cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skill…

The Influence of Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Motives among UK-Based University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Simon; Reeves, Matthew; Ryrie, Angus

2015-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that the majority of the adult population fails to achieve the recommended target of 30-minutes moderate intensity exercise, days a week. This includes university students who often have the time to engage in physical activity. The aim of this study was to determine exercise motives for a UK-based student population. The…

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)…

Challenging Science and Literacy Activities for K-9 Students - The Cricket Chronicles: Student Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Catherine E.

2006-01-01

This is an extensive integrated unit of study focused on that common and familiar insect-the cricket. In this edition, students are provided with more than 30 activities on crickets, which will help them learn science content and skills including: (1) Taxonomy; (2) Anatomy; (3) Ecology; (4) Mark and recapture techniques for estimating population…

"I Am a Starbucks Worker … My Life No Longer Belongs to Me:" The Performance of Estrangement as a Learning Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keenan, John; Evans, Adrienne

2014-01-01

In this paper, we explore the use of "estrangement" autoethnography as a means to encourage student autonomy and enhance learning. We include a case study of a structured activity requiring estrangement in consumer spaces to challenge student perspectives of normal environments. Our students welcomed the activity as one which changed…

The Impact of Activity-Based Oral Expression Course on Speech Self-Efficacy of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altunkaya, Hatice

2018-01-01

The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of the activity-based oral expression course on the speech self-efficacy of psychological counseling and guidance students. The study group included 80 freshmen students in the Psychological Counseling and Guidance Department in the Faculty of Education of a university located in western…

Skype-Based English Activities: A Case for Compelling Input? Correlational Changes before and after Skype Exchanges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ockert, David

2015-01-01

This paper reports the results of a small, longitudinal study involving a group of Japanese elementary school students (N = 29) involved in exploratory research using foreign language activities, including two Skype exchanges between these students and students in Australia. The purpose of the research was to test for the impact of a series of…

The Effects of Prompts and a Group-Oriented Contingency on Out-of-School Physical Activity in Elementary School-Aged Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hastie, Peter A.; van der Mars, Hans; Layne, Todd; Wadsworth, Danielle

2012-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of three conditions in which 48 fourth-grade students were prompted to be physically active out of school. Using an alternating treatments design (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007) the three intervention conditions included: (a) Baseline: No prompting of students, (b) Teacher Prompts: Verbal prompt to…

AIDS/HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Risk Behavior. Minnesota Student Survey Report, 1989.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Dept. of Education, St. Paul.

The Minnesota Student Survey, including questions on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) virus transmission and sexual activity, was completed by approximately 88,000 6th-, 9th-, and 12th-graders during the 1988-89 school year. Sexual activity questions were not asked of sixth graders. Over 90% of high school students knew about sharing…

An Examination of Undergraduates' Metacognitive Strategies in Pre-Class Asynchronous Activity in a Flipped Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Rabia M.; Baydas, Ozlem

2017-01-01

The aim of the study is to examine undergraduate students' awareness of metacognition, the metacognitive strategies they use in their learning and their learning performance in pre-class asynchronous activity in a flipped classroom. The sample consisted of 47 undergraduate students. Eleven students were not included in this study since they did…

Metrics. A Basic Core Curriculum for Teaching Metrics to Vocational Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albracht, James; Simmons, A. D.

This core curriculum contains five units for use in teaching metrics to vocational students. Included in the first unit are a series of learning activities to familiarize students with the terminology of metrics, including the prefixes and their values. Measures of distance and speed are covered. Discussed next are measures of volume used with…

Teaching Plate Tectonic Concepts using GeoMapApp Learning Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwillie, A. M.; Kluge, S.

2012-12-01

GeoMapApp Learning Activities ( http://serc.carleton.edu/geomapapp/collection.html ) can help educators to expose undergraduate students to a range of earth science concepts using high-quality data sets in an easy-to-use map-based interface called GeoMapApp. GeoMapApp Learning Activities require students to interact with and analyse research-quality geoscience data as a means to explore and enhance their understanding of underlying content and concepts. Each activity is freely available through the SERC-Carleton web site and offers step-by-step student instructions and answer sheets. Also provided are annotated educator versions of the worksheets that include teaching tips, additional content and suggestions for further work. The activities can be used "off-the-shelf". Or, since the educator may require flexibility to tailor the activities, the documents are provided in Word format for easy modification. Examples of activities include one on the concept of seafloor spreading that requires students to analyse global seafloor crustal age data to calculate spreading rates in different ocean basins. Another activity has students explore hot spots using radiometric age dating of rocks along the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain. A third focusses upon the interactive use of contours and profiles to help students visualise 3-D topography on 2-D computer screens. A fourth activity provides a study of mass wasting as revealed through geomorphological evidence. The step-by-step instructions and guided inquiry approach reduce the need for teacher intervention whilst boosting the time that students can spend on productive exploration and learning. The activities can be used, for example, in a classroom lab with the educator present and as self-paced assignments in an out-of-class setting. GeoMapApp Learning Activities are funded through the NSF GeoEd program and are aimed at students in the introductory undergraduate, community college and high school levels. The activities are based upon GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org), a free map-based data exploration and visualisation tool that allows students to access a wide range of geoscience data in a virtual lab-like environment.

Physical education issues for students with autism: school nurse challenges.

PubMed

Rutkowski, Elaine M; Brimer, Debbie

2014-08-01

Extant studies indicate persons with autism have difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, repetitive behaviors, and poor ability to generalize learned skills. Obesity has also been identified as significantly affecting children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Negative experience in physical education (PE) may be the antecedent behavior to lack of activities that are mediators to sedentary lifestyles and contributors to the chronic illnesses associated with overweight and obesity. Students with ASD often cannot perform required activities to meet required PE standards. It is imperative school nurses be aware of the many challenges students with ASD bring into a PE class. School nurses provide education for the members of the school community, including the Individualized Education Plan team, regarding the need for attention to limitations, including physical activity, of students with ASD. © The Author(s) 2013.

Assessment of weight status, dietary habits and beliefs, physical activity, and nutritional knowledge among university students.

PubMed

Yahia, Najat; Wang, Daniel; Rapley, Melyssa; Dey, Rajarshi

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to assess weight status, dietary habits, physical activity, dietary beliefs, and nutrition knowledge among a sample of students from Central Michigan University. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a sample of undergraduate students in Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 at Central Michigan University. Participating students completed an online questionnaire that included questions related to their eating habits, physical activity and lifestyle, dietary beliefs, and nutritional knowledge. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Percentage body fat and visceral fat score were determined using a Tanita body composition analyser (SC-331S). Outcomes of this study indicated that 78% of female students were within the healthy weight range compared to 52% of male students. Visceral body fat and waist circumference scores were higher in males than in females. Most students showed 'satisfactory' dietary habits. Almost half of the students reported drinking two glasses of milk and consuming two cups of fruits and vegetables daily. Physical activity and lifestyle score indicated that most of the students were not physically active. Only 7% of students reported having a very active lifestyle, and 4% had quite good nutritional knowledge. The majority of students, particularly females, were within the healthy body weight range. Students' dietary habits were satisfactory. However, physical activity, students' knowledge of healthy and unhealthy diet habits, and nutritional knowledge needed improvement. Developing gender-specific programmes for promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours among students is recommended. © Royal Society for Public Health 2015.

Student Motivation from and Resistance to Active Learning Rooted in Essential Science Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, David C.; Sadler, Troy D.; Barlow, Angela T.; Smith-Walters, Cindi

2017-12-01

Several studies have found active learning to enhance students' motivation and attitudes. Yet, faculty indicate that students resist active learning and censure them on evaluations after incorporating active learning into their instruction, resulting in an apparent paradox. We argue that the disparity in findings across previous studies is the result of variation in the active learning instruction that was implemented. The purpose of this study was to illuminate sources of motivation from and resistance to active learning that resulted from a novel, exemplary active-learning approach rooted in essential science practices and supported by science education literature. This approach was enacted over the course of 4 weeks in eight sections of an introductory undergraduate biology laboratory course. A plant concept inventory, administered to students as a pre-, post-, and delayed-posttest indicated significant proximal and distal learning gains. Qualitative analysis of open-response questionnaires and interviews elucidated sources of motivation and resistance that resulted from this active-learning approach. Several participants indicated this approach enhanced interest, creativity, and motivation to prepare, and resulted in a challenging learning environment that facilitated the sharing of diverse perspectives and the development of a community of learners. Sources of resistance to active learning included participants' unfamiliarity with essential science practices, having to struggle with uncertainty in the absence of authoritative information, and the extra effort required to actively construct knowledge as compared to learning via traditional, teacher-centered instruction. Implications for implementation, including tips for reducing student resistance to active learning, are discussed.

Alcohol-related and alcohol-free activity participation and enjoyment among college students: a behavioral theories of choice analysis.

PubMed

Murphy, James G; Barnett, Nancy P; Colby, Suzanne M

2006-08-01

College student alcohol abuse remains a significant public health problem, and there is a need for theory-driven and empirically based models to guide prevention efforts. Behavioral theories of choice assume that the decision to consume alcohol is influenced by the relative value of alcohol versus other available activities. In the present study, a sample of college student drinkers (N=108; 56% female, 44% male) who had previously completed a mandatory alcohol intervention completed a measure of alcohol-related and alcohol-free activity participation and enjoyment. The goals of the study were to examine the influence of drinking quantity and contextual variables on activity enjoyment and to identify enjoyable alcohol-free activities that take place on evenings when students might otherwise be drinking. Overall, students found alcohol-related activities more enjoyable than alcohol-free activities, and drinking quantity was positively related to enjoyment. However, alcohol-free activities such as watching movies, going to the theater or museums, going to bars or parties, hanging out with friends, eating at restaurants, and engaging in creative activity were generally as enjoyable as drinking. Alcohol-free activities that included peers or dates were more enjoyable than solitary activities. Men were less likely to engage in alcohol-free activities that included peers and reported less enjoyment related to alcohol-free activities than did women. Further research is required to identify procedures for increasing participation in alcohol-free activities and to determine whether increased alcohol-free activity participation results in decreased alcohol consumption.

Demonstration of Zoospore Activities by Fungi.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarter, States M.

1978-01-01

The demonstrations and experiments described in this article are appropriate for junior high school and older students, including beginning students in college biology or botany. Included are culture and observation of zoospores, zoospore attraction to plant roots, and other topics. (BB)

Increasing students' physical activity during school physical education: rationale and protocol for the SELF-FIT cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ha, Amy S; Lonsdale, Chris; Lubans, David R; Ng, Johan Y Y

2017-07-11

The Self-determined Exercise and Learning For FITness (SELF-FIT) is a multi-component school-based intervention based on tenets of self-determination theory. SELF-FIT aims to increase students' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during physical education lessons, and enhance their autonomous motivation towards fitness activities. Using a cluster randomized controlled trial, we aim to examine the effects of the intervention on students' MVPA during school physical education. Secondary 2 students (approximately aged 14 years) from 26 classes in 26 different schools will be recruited. After baseline assessments, students will be randomized into either the experimental group or wait-list control group using a matched-pair randomization. Teachers allocated to the experimental group will attend two half-day workshops and deliver the SELF-FIT intervention for 8 weeks. The main intervention components include training teachers to teach in more need supportive ways, and conducting fitness exercises using a fitness dice with interchangeable faces. Other motivational components, such as playing music during classes, are also included. The primary outcome of the trial is students' MVPA during PE lessons. Secondary outcomes include students' leisure-time MVPA, perceived need support from teachers, need satisfaction, autonomous motivation towards physical education, intention to engage in physical activity, psychological well-being, and health-related fitness (cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness). Quantitative data will be analyzed using multilevel modeling approaches. Focus group interviews will also be conducted to assess students' perceptions of the intervention. The SELF-FIT intervention has been designed to improve students' health and well-being by using high-intensity activities in classes delivered by teachers who have been trained to be autonomy needs supportive. If successful, scalable interventions based on SELF-FIT could be applied in physical education at large. The trial is registered at the Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (Trial ID: ACTRN12615000633583 ; date of registration: 18 June 2015).

A university system-wide qualitative investigation into student physical activity promotion conducted on college campuses.

PubMed

Milroy, Jeffrey J; Wyrick, David L; Bibeau, Daniel L; Strack, Robert W; Davis, Paul G

2012-01-01

This study aimed to examine college student physical activity promotion. A cross-sectional approach to qualitative research was used. Southeastern state university system. Fourteen of 15 (93%) universities recruited were included in this study; 22 university employees participated in a semistructured interview. Nonprobabilistic purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used to recruit individuals who were likely to be engaged in physical activity promotion efforts on their respective campuses. Thematic analyses lead to the identification of emerging themes that were coded and analyzed using NVivo software. Themes informed three main areas: key personnel responsible for promoting physical activity to students, actual physical activity promotion efforts implemented, and factors that influence student physical activity promotion. Results suggest that ecological approaches to promote physical activity on college campuses are underused, the targeting of mediators of physical activity in college students is limited, and values held by university administration influence campus physical activity promotion. Findings support recommendations for future research and practice. Practitioners should attempt to implement social ecological approaches that target scientifically established mediators of physical activity in college students. Replication of this study is needed to compare these findings with other types of universities, and to investigate the relationship between promotion activities (type and exposure) and physical activity behaviors of college students.

Implementation of a longitudinal mentored scholarly project: an approach at two medical schools.

PubMed

Boninger, Michael; Troen, Philip; Green, Emily; Borkan, Jeffrey; Lance-Jones, Cynthia; Humphrey, Allen; Gruppuso, Philip; Kant, Peter; McGee, James; Willochell, Michael; Schor, Nina; Kanter, Steven L; Levine, Arthur S

2010-03-01

An increasing number of medical schools have implemented or are considering implementing scholarly activity programs as part of their undergraduate medical curricula. The goal of these programs is to foster students' analytical skills, enhance their self-directed learning and their oral and written communication skills, and ultimately to train better physicians. In this article, the authors describe the approach to implementing scholarly activities at a school that requires this activity and at a school where it is elective. Both programs have dealt with significant challenges including orienting students to a complex activity that is fundamentally different than traditional medical school courses and clerkships, helping both students and their mentors understand how to "stay on track" and complete work, especially during the third and fourth years, and educating students and mentors about the responsible conduct of research, especially involving human participants. Both schools have found the implementation process to be evolutionary, requiring experience before faculty could significantly improve processes. A required scholarly activity has highlighted the need for information technology (IT) support, including Web-based document storage and student updates, as well as automatic e-mails alerting supervisory individuals to student activity. Directors of the elective program have found difficulty with both ensuring uniform outcomes across different areas of study and leadership changes in a process that has been largely student-driven. Both programs have found that teamwork, regular meetings, and close communication have helped with implementation. Schools considering the establishment of a scholarly activity should consider these factors when designing programs.

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Sign Language: Engaging Undergraduate Students’ Critical Thinking Skills Using the Primary Literature

PubMed Central

Stevens, Courtney

2015-01-01

This article presents a modular activity on the neurobiology of sign language that engages undergraduate students in reading and analyzing the primary functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) literature. Drawing on a seed empirical article and subsequently published critique and rebuttal, students are introduced to a scientific debate concerning the functional significance of right-hemisphere recruitment observed in some fMRI studies of sign language processing. The activity requires minimal background knowledge and is not designed to provide students with a specific conclusion regarding the debate. Instead, the activity and set of articles allow students to consider key issues in experimental design and analysis of the primary literature, including critical thinking regarding the cognitive subtractions used in blocked-design fMRI studies, as well as possible confounds in comparing results across different experimental tasks. By presenting articles representing different perspectives, each cogently argued by leading scientists, the readings and activity also model the type of debate and dialogue critical to science, but often invisible to undergraduate science students. Student self-report data indicate that undergraduates find the readings interesting and that the activity enhances their ability to read and interpret primary fMRI articles, including evaluating research design and considering alternate explanations of study results. As a stand-alone activity completed primarily in one 60-minute class block, the activity can be easily incorporated into existing courses, providing students with an introduction both to the analysis of empirical fMRI articles and to the role of debate and critique in the field of neuroscience. PMID:26557797

Student profiling on university co-curriculum activities using data visualization tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamil, Jastini Mohd.; Shaharanee, Izwan Nizal Mohd

2017-11-01

Co-curricular activities are playing a vital role in the development of a holistic student. Co-curriculum can be described as an extension of the formal learning experiences in a course or academic program. There are many co-curriculum activities such as students' participation in sports, volunteerism, leadership, entrepreneurship, uniform body, student council, and other social events. The number of student involves in co-curriculum activities are large, thus creating an enormous volume of data including their demographic facts, academic performance and co-curriculum types. The task for discovering and analyzing these information becomes increasingly difficult and hard to comprehend. Data visualization offer a better ways in handling with large volume of information. The need for an understanding of these various co-curriculum activities and their effect towards student performance are essential. Visualizing these information can help related stakeholders to become aware of hidden and interesting information from large amount of data drowning in their student data. The main objective of this study is to provide a clearer understanding of the different trends hidden in the student co-curriculum activities data with related to their activities and academic performances. The data visualization software was used to help visualize the data extracted from the database.

Socializing Agents for Sport and Physical Activities in Teenage Students: Comparative Studies in Samples From Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain.

PubMed

Ruiz-Juan, Francisco; Baena-Extremera, Antonio; Granero-Gallegos, Antonio

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to analyze a set of socializing agents for sport and physical activities and to establish their relationship with leisure time sport and physical activities behaviors and practice patterns in samples of teenage students with different sociocultural backgrounds. The sample included 2168 students in their first year of secondary education, 423 of them being from Costa Rica, 408 from Mexico, and 1337 from Spain (1052 male students, 1037 female students, and 79 students who did not specify gender) aged 11-16 years old ( M = 12.49; SD = .81). A validated questionnaire with questions about leisure time sport and physical activities and socializing agents was used. Descriptive, inferential, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out with SPSS 17.0 to compare all three countries. Costa Rica had the most active students, best friends' inactivity, and unsupportive parents being the agents predicting inactivity and a low level of sport and physical activities. Mexico has a high dropout rate and inactive students exceed active ones; no agent predicts inactivity or sport and physical activities pattern. Spain has the highest level of sport and physical activities practice, and parents, siblings, and friends are predicting agents of inactivity together with unsupportive parents and friends.

Building chemistry one atom at a time: An investigation of the effects of two curricula in students' understanding of covalent bonding and atomic size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bull, Barbara Jeanne

Chemists have to rely on models to aid in the explanation of phenomena they experience. Instruction of atomic theory has been used as the introduction and primary model for many concepts in chemistry. Therefore, it is important for students to have a robust understanding of the different atomic models, their relationships and their limitations. Previous research has shown that students have alternative conceptions concerning their interpretation of atomic models, but there is less exploration into how students apply their understanding of atomic structure to other chemical concepts. Therefore, this research concentrated on the development of three Model Eliciting Activities to investigate the most fundamental topic of the atom and how students applied their atomic model to covalent bonding and atomic size. Along with the investigation into students' use of their atomic models, a comparison was included between a traditional chemistry curriculum using an Atoms First approach and Chemistry, Life, the Universe and Everything (CLUE), a NSF-funded general chemistry curriculum. Treatment and Control groups were employed to determine the effectiveness of the curricula in conveying the relationship between atoms, covalent bonds and atomic size. The CLUE students developed a Cloud representation on the Atomic Model Eliciting Activity and maintained this depiction through the Covalent Bonding Model Eliciting Activity. The traditional students more often illustrated the atom using a Bohr representation and continued to apply the same model to their portrayal of covalent bonding. During the analysis of the Atomic Size Model Eliciting Activity, students had difficulty fully supporting their explanation of the atomic size trend. Utilizing the beSocratic platform, an activity was designed to aid students' construction of explanations using Toulmin's Argumentation Pattern. In order to study the effectiveness of the activity, the students were asked questions relating to a four-week long investigation into the identity of an inorganic salt during their laboratory class. Students who completed the activity exhibited an improvement in their explanation of the identity of their salt's cation. After completing the activity, another question was posed about the identity of their anion. Both groups saw a decrease in the percentage of students who included reasoning in their answer; however, the activity group maintained a significantly higher percentage of responses with a reasoning than the control group.

Medical Students' Acquisition of Adolescent Interview Skills after Coached Role Play.

PubMed

Kaul, Paritosh; Fisher, Jennifer H; Hanson, Janice L

2018-04-01

To develop and evaluate an educational activity designed to teach the adolescent Home, Education and employment, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/depression, and Safety (HEADS) examination. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were third-year medical students in their pediatric clerkships. Students received an article on the HEADS interview and attended an adolescent medicine educational session. The session included individualized goal-setting and coached role play. Students' skills in doing a HEADS interview were evaluated through a standardized patient encounter (SPE) with a checklist and a retrospective pre- and post-test survey. The SPE checklist was used to assess whether the students included questions in 6 key areas of a HEADS interview. One hundred fifty-two students participated. During the SPE, 90% of students queried the adolescent's home life, 91% education, 82% activities, 84% drug/substance abuse, 95% sexual history, and 61% symptoms of depression. Pre- and postintervention data were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis Test and showed a statistically significant difference in the students' ability to list key topic areas of the HEADS exam (P < .001) and to use the skills needed for an adolescent interview using the HEADS exam (P < .001). After an introduction to the HEADS examination, most students covered almost all of the topic areas of this screening interview during a SPE. Only three-fifths of the students, however, included questions about symptoms of depression. Coached role play with goal-setting facilitated effective learning of this approach to adolescent interviewing. Copyright © 2017 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Science Careers and Disabled Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jagoda, Sue; Cremer, Bob

1981-01-01

Summarizes proceedings and student experiences at the 1980 Science Career Workshop for Physically Disabled Students at the Lawrence Hall of Science (University of California). Includes a description of the key-note speaker's topics, and other workshop activities. (DS)

Community-based participatory research to decrease smoking prevalence in a high-risk young adult population: an evaluation of the Students Against Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction (SANTA) project.

PubMed

Mendenhall, Tai J; Harper, Peter G; Henn, Lisa; Rudser, Kyle D; Schoeller, Bill P

2014-03-01

Students Against Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction is a community-based participatory research project that engages local medical and mental health providers in partnership with students, teachers, and administrators at the Minnesota-based Job Corps. This intervention contains multiple and synchronous elements designed to allay the stress that students attribute to smoking, including physical activities, nonphysical activities, purposeful modifications to the campus's environment and rules/policies, and on-site smoking cessation education and peer support. The intent of the present investigation was to evaluate (a) the types of stress most predictive of smoking behavior and/or nicotine dependence, (b) which activities students are participating in, and (c) which activities are most predictive of behavior change (or readiness to change). Quantitative data were collected through 5 campus-wide surveys. Response rates for each survey exceeded 85%. Stressors most commonly cited included struggles to find a job, financial problems, family conflict, lack of privacy or freedom, missing family or being homesick, dealing with Job Corps rules, and other-unspecified. The most popular activities in which students took part were physically active ones. However, activities most predictive of beneficent change were nonphysical. Approximately one third of respondents were nicotine dependent at baseline. Nearly half intended to quit within 1 month and 74% intended to quit within 6 months. Interventions perceived as most helpful toward reducing smoking were nonphysical in nature. Future efforts with this and comparable populations should engage youth in advancing such activities within a broader range of activity choices, alongside conventional education and support.

Soweto Curriculum Extension Programme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Chris

1992-01-01

A Saturday enrichment program for gifted black children in Soweto townships (South Africa) is described, including development of basic numeracy and literacy skills for elementary students; work in English, mathematics, and science/biology for high school students; creative activities and excursions; interracial activities; and cross-cultural…

78 FR 66714 - Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-06

..., including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and e... three data items: Government-guaranteed Student Loans, Private Student Loans, and Other Consumer Loans... FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request AGENCY...

An innovative, multidisciplinary strategy to improve retention of nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

PubMed

Igbo, Immaculata N; Straker, Kathleen C; Landson, Margie J; Symes, Lene; Bernard, Lillian F; Hughes, Lisa A; Carroll, Theresa L

2011-01-01

Nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds must overcome many barriers in order to succeed. This article will focus on how a multidisciplinary team helped 76 percent of these high-risk students persist in their nursing programs by addressing some of these barriers. Three baccalaureate nursing schools in the Texas Medical Center embarked on a three-year retention program designed to enhance the success of students identified by federal criteria as being at risk. Multidisciplinary teams led various activities, including a study skills component, which included preparing for lectures, taking notes, critical thinking, and test-taking strategies. Also addressed were written and oral communication skills, medical terminology, critical thinking, career coaching, and socialization activities. Collaboration among faculty and students at the three schools was key to the success of the program.

Investigating Climate Change Issues With Web-Based Geospatial Inquiry Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dempsey, C.; Bodzin, A. M.; Sahagian, D. L.; Anastasio, D. J.; Peffer, T.; Cirucci, L.

2011-12-01

In the Environmental Literacy and Inquiry middle school Climate Change curriculum we focus on essential climate literacy principles with an emphasis on weather and climate, Earth system energy balance, greenhouse gases, paleoclimatology, and how human activities influence climate change (http://www.ei.lehigh.edu/eli/cc/). It incorporates a related set of a framework and design principles to provide guidance for the development of the geospatial technology-integrated Earth and environmental science curriculum materials. Students use virtual globes, Web-based tools including an interactive carbon calculator and geologic timeline, and inquiry-based lab activities to investigate climate change topics. The curriculum includes educative curriculum materials that are designed to promote and support teachers' learning of important climate change content and issues, geospatial pedagogical content knowledge, and geographic spatial thinking. The curriculum includes baseline instructional guidance for teachers and provides implementation and adaptation guidance for teaching with diverse learners including low-level readers, English language learners and students with disabilities. In the curriculum, students use geospatial technology tools including Google Earth with embedded spatial data to investigate global temperature changes, areas affected by climate change, evidence of climate change, and the effects of sea level rise on the existing landscape. We conducted a designed-based research implementation study with urban middle school students. Findings showed that the use of the Climate Change curriculum showed significant improvement in urban middle school students' understanding of climate change concepts.

Technology Systems. Laboratory Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brame, Ray; And Others

This guide contains 43 modules of laboratory activities for technology education courses. Each module includes an instructor's resource sheet and the student laboratory activity. Instructor's resource sheets include some or all of the following elements: module number, course title, activity topic, estimated time, essential elements, objectives,…

Incorporating inquiry and the process of science into introductory astronomy labs at the George Washington University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cobb, Bethany E.

2018-01-01

Since 2013, the Physics Department at GWU has used student-centered active learning in the introductory astronomy course “Introduction to the Cosmos.” Class time is spent in groups on questions, math problems, and hands-on activities, with multiple instructors circulating to answer questions and engage with the students. The students have responded positively to this active-learning. Unfortunately, in transitioning to active-learning there was no time to rewrite the labs. Very quickly, the contrast between the dynamic classroom and the traditional labs became apparent. The labs were almost uniformly “cookie-cutter” in that the procedure and analysis were specified step-by-step and there was just one right answer. Students rightly criticized the labs for lacking a clear purpose and including busy-work. Furthermore, this class fulfills the GWU scientific reasoning general education requirement and thus includes learning objectives related to understanding the scientific method, testing hypotheses with data, and considering uncertainty – but the traditional labs did not require these skills. I set out to rejuvenate the lab sequence by writing new inquiry labs based on both topic-specific and scientific reasoning learning objectives. While inquiry labs can be challenging for the students, as they require active thinking and creativity, these labs engage the students more thoroughly in the scientific process. In these new labs, whenever possible, I include real astronomical data and ask the students to use digital tools (SDSS SkyServer, SOHO archive) as if they are real astronomers. To allow students to easily plot, manipulate and analyze data, I built “smart” Excel files using formulas, dropdown menus and macros. The labs are now much more authentic and thought-provoking. Whenever possible, students independently develop questions, hypotheses, and procedures and the scientific method is “scaffolded” over the semester by providing more guidance in the early labs and more independence later on. Finally, in every lab, students must identify and reflect on sources of error. These labs are more challenging for the instructors to run and to grade, but they are much more satisfying when it comes to student learning.

Instilling positive beliefs about disabilities: pilot testing a novel experiential learning activity for rehabilitation students.

PubMed

Silverman, Arielle M; Pitonyak, Jennifer S; Nelson, Ian K; Matsuda, Patricia N; Kartin, Deborah; Molton, Ivan R

2018-05-01

To develop and test a novel impairment simulation activity to teach beginning rehabilitation students how people adapt to physical impairments. Masters of Occupational Therapy students (n = 14) and Doctor of Physical Therapy students (n = 18) completed the study during the first month of their program. Students were randomized to the experimental or control learning activity. Experimental students learned to perform simple tasks while simulating paraplegia and hemiplegia. Control students viewed videos of others completing tasks with these impairments. Before and after the learning activities, all students estimated average self-perceived health, life satisfaction, and depression ratings among people with paraplegia and hemiplegia. Experimental students increased their estimates of self-perceived health, and decreased their estimates of depression rates, among people with paraplegia and hemiplegia after the learning activity. The control activity had no effect on these estimates. Impairment simulation can be an effective way to teach rehabilitation students about the adaptations that people make to physical impairments. Positive impairment simulations should allow students to experience success in completing activities of daily living with impairments. Impairment simulation is complementary to other pedagogical methods, such as simulated clinical encounters using standardized patients. Implication of Rehabilitation It is important for rehabilitation students to learn how people live well with disabilities. Impairment simulations can improve students' assessments of quality of life with disabilities. To be beneficial, impairment simulations must include guided exposure to effective methods for completing daily tasks with disabilities.

Student perceptions of independent versus facilitated small group learning approaches to compressed medical anatomy education.

PubMed

Whelan, Alexander; Leddy, John J; Mindra, Sean; Matthew Hughes, J D; El-Bialy, Safaa; Ramnanan, Christopher J

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare student perceptions regarding two, small group learning approaches to compressed (46.5 prosection-based laboratory hours), integrated anatomy education at the University of Ottawa medical program. In the facilitated active learning (FAL) approach, tutors engage students and are expected to enable and balance both active learning and progression through laboratory objectives. In contrast, the emphasized independent learning (EIL) approach stresses elements from the "flipped classroom" educational model: prelaboratory preparation, independent laboratory learning, and limited tutor involvement. Quantitative (Likert-style questions) and qualitative data (independent thematic analysis of open-ended commentary) from a survey of students who had completed the preclerkship curriculum identified strengths from the EIL (promoting student collaboration and communication) and FAL (successful progression through objectives) approaches. However, EIL led to student frustration related to a lack of direction and impaired completion of objectives, whereas active learning opportunities in FAL were highly variable and dependent on tutor teaching style. A "hidden curriculum" was also identified, where students (particularly EIL and clerkship students) commonly compared their compressed anatomy education or their anatomy learning environment with other approaches. Finally, while both groups highly regarded the efficiency of prosection-based learning and expressed value for cadaveric-based learning, student commentary noted that the lack of grade value dedicated to anatomy assessment limited student accountability. This study revealed critical insights into small group learning in compressed anatomy education, including the need to balance student active learning opportunities with appropriate direction and feedback (including assessment). © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Interprofessional Peer Teaching of Pharmacy and Physical Therapy Students.

PubMed

Sadowski, Cheryl A; Li, Johnson Ching-hong; Pasay, Darren; Jones, C Allyson

2015-12-25

To evaluate an interprofessional peer-teaching activity during which physical therapy students instructed undergraduate pharmacy students on 3 ambulatory devices (canes, crutches, walkers). The pre/post evaluation of 2 pharmacy undergraduate classes included 220 students, 110 per year. After pharmacy students completed a 10-point, knowledge-based pretest, they participated in a hands-on activity with physical therapy students teaching them about sizing, use, and safety of canes, crutches, and walkers. A 10-point posttest was completed immediately afterward. The mean difference of pre/post scores was 3.5 (SD 1.9) for the peer-led teaching, and 3.8 (SD 2.2) for the peer learning group. Students had positive responses regarding the learning exercise and recommended further peer teaching. The peer-learning activity involving physical therapy students teaching pharmacy students was an effective method of improving knowledge and skills regarding basic ambulatory devices.

Interprofessional Peer Teaching of Pharmacy and Physical Therapy Students

PubMed Central

Sadowski, Cheryl A.; Li, Johnson Ching-hong; Pasay, Darren

2015-01-01

Objective. To evaluate an interprofessional peer-teaching activity during which physical therapy students instructed undergraduate pharmacy students on 3 ambulatory devices (canes, crutches, walkers). Design. The pre/post evaluation of 2 pharmacy undergraduate classes included 220 students, 110 per year. After pharmacy students completed a 10-point, knowledge-based pretest, they participated in a hands-on activity with physical therapy students teaching them about sizing, use, and safety of canes, crutches, and walkers. A 10-point posttest was completed immediately afterward. Assessment. The mean difference of pre/post scores was 3.5 (SD 1.9) for the peer-led teaching, and 3.8 (SD 2.2) for the peer learning group. Students had positive responses regarding the learning exercise and recommended further peer teaching. Conclusion. The peer-learning activity involving physical therapy students teaching pharmacy students was an effective method of improving knowledge and skills regarding basic ambulatory devices. PMID:26889067

Creation and Assessment of an Active e-Learning Introductory Geology Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sit, Stefany M.; Brudzinski, Michael R.

2017-12-01

The recent emphasis in higher education on both student engagement and online learning encouraged the authors to develop an active e-learning environment for an introductory geohazards course, which enrolls 70+ undergraduate students per semester. Instructors focused on replicating the achievements and addressing the challenges within an already established face-to-face student-centered class (Brudzinski and Sikorski 2010; Sit 2013). Through the use of a learning management system (LMS) and other available technologies, a wide range of course components were developed including online homework assignments with automatic grading and tailored feedback, video tutorials of software programs like Google Earth and Microsoft Excel, and more realistic scientific investigations using authentic and freely available data downloaded from the internet. The different course components designed to engage students and improve overall student learning and development were evaluated using student surveys and instructor reflection. Each component can be used independently and intertwined into a face-to-face course. Results suggest that significant opportunities are available in an online environment including the potential for improved student performance and new datasets for educational research. Specifically, results from pre and post-semester Geoscience Concept Inventory (GCI) testing in an active e-learning course show enhanced student learning gains compared to face-to-face lecture-based and student-centered courses.

Feasibility online survey to estimate physical activity level among the students studying professional courses: a cross-sectional online survey.

PubMed

Sudha, Bhumika; Samuel, Asir John; Narkeesh, Kanimozhi

2018-02-01

The aim of the study was to estimate the physical activity (PA) level among the professional college students in North India. One hundred three professional college students in the age group of 18-25 years were recruited by simple random sampling for this cross-sectional online survey. The survey was advertised on the social networking sites (Facebook, WhatsApp) through a link www.surveymonkey.com/r/MG-588BY. A Short Form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used for this survey study. The questionnaire included total 8 questions on the basis of previous 7 days. The questionnaire consists of 3 main categories which were vigorous, moderate and high PA. Time spent in each activity level was multiplied with the metabolic equivalent of task (MET), which has previously set to 8.0 for vigorous activity, 4.0 for moderate activity, 3.3 for walking, and 1.5 for sitting. By multiplying MET with number of days and minutes performed weekly, amount of each activity level was calculated and measured as MET-min/wk. Further by adding MET minutes for each activity level, total MET-min/wk was calculated. Total number of 100 students participated in this study, and it was shown that all professional course students show different levels in PA. The total PA level among professional college students, which includes, physiotherapy, dental, medical, nursing, lab technician, pharmacy, management, law, engineering, were 434.4 (0-7,866), 170.3 (0-1,129), 87.7 (0-445), 102.8 (0-180), 469 (0-1,164), 0 (0-0), 645 (0-1,836), 337 (0-1,890), 396 (0-968) MET-min/wk respectively. PA levels among professional college students in North India have been established.

Lower back and neck pain among dentistry students: a cross-sectional study in dentistry students in Northern Greece.

PubMed

Samoladas, Efthimios; Barmpagianni, Christina; Papadopoulos, Dimitrios V; Gelalis, Ioannis D

2018-03-28

Dentistry students and dentists comprise a unique group of professionals, whose everyday professional activity requires long hours of standing and working in a position considered unhealthy for the lower back and neck. Our aim was to explore the factors involved in the appearance of low back and neck pain in dentistry students as well as the impact of the pain on the students' professional and everyday activities. A questionnaire was given to all dentistry students of the 4th and 5th year of our university. The questionnaire included 43 questions regarding demographic data, history (spinal injury, other comorbidities), daily activities (exercise, smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption, use of cell phone), professional activities (length and type of dental work), pattern and intensity of pain, and personal pain evaluation. A statistical analysis of the gathered data was performed. All students having suffered a spinal trauma or indicating any other comorbidity that could cause severe pain of the spine were excluded from the study. Fifty-five students (21 male, 34 female) were included. Our data showed that increased alcohol consumption and prolonged use of cell phone were connected to increased levels of pain. The students reported that the most frequent onset of pain was 1 h after starting to work in a standing position, while the majority believed that their working habits were involved in the appearance and the intensity of neck and low-back pain. Our findings indicate that among dentistry students appears to be a causative relationship between their professional activities and the experienced spinal pain. These findings may be useful in a possible future restructuring of the educational program in dental schools, as well as in improving the ergonomics of dentistry working units.

An Innovative and Successful Simulation Day.

PubMed

Bowling, Ann M; Eismann, Michelle

This article discusses the development of a creative and innovative plan to incorporate independent activities, including skill reviews and scenarios, into a single eight-hour day, using small student groups to enhance the learning process for pediatric nursing students. The simulation day consists of skills activities and pediatric simulation scenarios using the human patient simulator. Using small student groups in simulation captures the students' attention and enhances motivation to learn. The simulation day is a work in progress; appropriate changes are continually being made to improve the simulation experience for students.

Field Lab on the Rocks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, David T., Jr.; Abbott-King, Janet P.

1985-01-01

Advocates taking students on field trips to highway roadcuts to illustrate various geological principles. Photographs of three roadcuts (with sample objectives and questions/answers for students to answer) are included. Also included are suggestions for preparation, safety, and activities during such field trips. (DH)

Student Worlds, Student Words: Teaching Writing through Folklore.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Elizabeth Radin

Encouraging teachers of middle and secondary school students to learn to write using their own folklore, each chapter in this book presents a 1- to 3-week unit of study including background information, student activities, transcripts of discussions, and suggested readings for both teachers and students. After an introduction (Knowing Our Insides…

Teaching science through literature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barth, Daniel

2007-12-01

The hypothesis of this study was that a multidisciplinary, activity rich science curriculum based around science fiction literature, rather than a conventional text book would increase student engagement with the curriculum and improve student performance on standards-based test instruments. Science fiction literature was chosen upon the basis of previous educational research which indicated that science fiction literature was able to stimulate and maintain interest in science. The study was conducted on a middle school campus during the regular summer school session. Students were self-selected from the school's 6 th, 7th, and 8th grade populations. The students used the science fiction novel Maurice on the Moon as their only text. Lessons and activities closely followed the adventures of the characters in the book. The student's initial level of knowledge in Earth and space science was assessed by a pre test. After the four week program was concluded, the students took a post test made up of an identical set of questions. The test included 40 standards-based questions that were based upon concepts covered in the text of the novel and in the classroom lessons and activities. The test also included 10 general knowledge questions that were based upon Earth and space science standards that were not covered in the novel or the classroom lessons or activities. Student performance on the standards-based question set increased an average of 35% for all students in the study group. Every subgroup disaggregated by gender and ethnicity improved from 28-47%. There was no statistically significant change in the performance on the general knowledge question set for any subgroup. Student engagement with the material was assessed by three independent methods, including student self-reports, percentage of classroom work completed, and academic evaluation of student work by the instructor. These assessments of student engagement were correlated with changes in student performance on the standards-based assessment tests. A moderate correlation was found to exist between the level of student engagement with the material and improvement in performance from pre to post test.

Sexual behaviour of adolescents in Nigeria: cross sectional survey of secondary school students.

PubMed

Slap, Gail B; Lot, Lucy; Huang, Bin; Daniyam, Comfort A; Zink, Therese M; Succop, Paul A

2003-01-04

To determine whether family structure (polygamous or monogamous) is associated with sexual activity among school students in Nigeria. Cross sectional school survey with a two stage, clustered sampling design. 4218 students aged 12-21 years attending 39 schools in Plateau state, Nigeria. Responses from 2705 students were included in the analysis. Report of ever having had sexual intercourse. Variables of interest included sexual history, age, sex, religion, family polygamy, educational level of parents, having a dead parent, and sense of connectedness to parents and school. Overall 909 students (34%) reported ever having had sexual intercourse, and 1119 (41%) reported a polygamous family structure. Sexual activity was more common among students from polygamous families (42% of students) than monogamous families (28%) (chi2=64.23; P<0.0001). Variables independently associated with sexual activity were male sex (adjusted odds ratio 2.52 (95% confidence interval 2.05 to 3.12)), older age (1.62 (1.24 to 2.14)), lower sense of connectedness with parents (1.87 (1.48 to 2.38)), having a dead parent (1.59 (1.27 to 2.00)), family polygamy (1.58 (1.29 to 1.92)), lower sense of connectedness with school (1.25 (1.09 to 1.44)), and lower educational level of parents (1.14 (1.05 to 1.24)). Multistep logistic regression analysis showed that the effect of polygamy on sexual activity was reduced by 27% by whether students were married and 22% by a history of forced sex. Secondary school students in Nigeria from a polygamous family structure are more likely to have engaged in sexual activity than students from a monogamous family structure. This effect is partly explained by a higher likelihood of marriage during adolescence and forced sex. Students' sense of connectedness to their parents and school, regardless of family structure, decreases the likelihood of sexual activity, and fostering this sense may help reduce risky sexual behaviour among Nigerian youth.

French-Canadians, Acadians and the French in New England. A Learning Activity Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maine Univ., Orono. New England - Atlantic Provinces - Quebec Center.

The history of the French-Canadians from their beginnings to the present time is the topic of this Learning Activity Packet (LAP). Designed to acquaint students with the French, Canada's earliest permanent settlers following the Indians, the unit is divided into six objectives which include learning activities for each. Students are expected to…

Influence of Activity Mode on Feeling States of High School Physical Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannon, James C.; Pellet, Tracey L.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if changes in positive well-being, psychological distress, fatigue, and enjoyment vary as a function of physical activity mode. Fifty-five senior high school students participated in one of four fitness activities including two defined as traditional (running and step-aerobics) and two defined as…

When I Grow Up... Career Activities for Kindergarten through Sixth Grade.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Education, Oklahoma City. Curriculum Div.

This resource unit provides activities and resources for career awareness at the elementary school level. Student pages which can be used as a basis for activities are included for both primary and intermediate levels. The student pages are related to the following job areas in which growth has been predicted: (1) manufacturing; (2) foods; (3)…

Illinois Natural Heritage Conservation/Education Kit II. Special Theme: Forest Ecology and Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Sally F.

This instructional guide contains 16 activities designed to help teachers familiarize their students with the forest resources of Illinois. Each activity is ready to be copied and given to students. Topics of the activities, which vary in format, include: an overview of past and present Illinois forests; organization and mechanics of a forest…

Art for the Middle School. Curriculum Bulletin, 1977-78 Series, No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochman, Shirley

The elements and principles of design are taught through art experiences which are built upon pupil interest. A range of suggested activities makes it possible for teachers to plan lessons that meet the needs of each student. Each chapter includes activities appropriate for varying student ability levels. The focus of activities in grades five and…

The Effects of Mobile Natural-Science Learning Based on the 5E Learning Cycle: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Tzu-Chien; Peng, Hsinyi; Wu, Wen-Hsuan; Lin, Ming-Sheng

2009-01-01

This study has three major purposes, including designing mobile natural-science learning activities that rest on the 5E Learning Cycle, examining the effects of these learning activities on students' performances of learning aquatic plants, and exploring students' perceptions toward these learning activities. A case-study method is utilized and…

The Green Pages Environmental Education Activities K-12: Gardens for Young Growing Lives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Jan

1997-01-01

Describes several gardening activities that can be kept simple or used as a foundation for more in-depth projects. Activities include setting up an indoor garden spot, making compost which helps students understand the terms "decompose" and "compost", watching plants drink in which students measure water movement in plants, making herb gardens,…

Sea Turtles and Strategies for Language Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tippins, Deborah; And Others

1993-01-01

Describes teaching strategies, including science activities, for challenging students' misconceptions about turtles and helping limited-English-proficiency students enhance their language proficiency. (PR)

Creative Ventures: Ancient Civilizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Rebecca

The open-ended activities in this book are designed to extend the imagination and creativity of students and encourage students to examine their feelings and values about historic eras. Civilizations addressed include ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mayan, Stonehenge, and Mesopotamia. The activities focus upon the cognitive and affective pupil…

Teaching Followership in Leadership Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raffo, Deana M.

2013-01-01

This paper provides leadership educators with a resource for teaching followership. It presents a lesson for teaching students about followership in contemporary society by including key concepts and follower characteristics followed by class activities and assignments designed to engage students in active learning and self-reflective processes. A…

Dimensions of flow during an experiential wilderness science program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Robert

Over the past twenty-five years, there has been an alarming decline in academic performance among American students. This trend is seen in failing test scores, poor attendance, and low first-year retention rates at post-secondary institutions. There have been numerous studies that have examined this issue but few to offer solutions. Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, the originator of flow theory, suggests that poor academic performance might be best explained in terms of lack of student motivation and engagement (flow) rather than a lack of cognitive abilities. This study was designed to examine a series of activities conducted during an Experiential Wilderness Science Program at a college located in the Rocky Mountain region. Specifically, this study measured student engagement for each activity and described the dimensions (phenomenological, instructional, etc.) that were present when there was a high frequency of engagement among program participants. A combined quantitative and qualitative research methodology was utilized. The Experience Sampling Form (ESF) was administered to 41 freshman students participating in a 3-day wilderness science program to measure the frequency of engagement (flow) for nine different activities. A qualitative investigation using journals, participant interviews, and focus groups was used to describe the dimensions that were present when a high frequency of engagement among program participants was observed. Results revealed that engagement (flow) was highest during two challenge education activities and during a river sampling activity. Dimensions common among these activities included: an environment dimension, a motivation dimension, and an instruction dimension. The environment dimension included: incorporating novel learning activities, creating student interests, and introducing an element of perceived risk. The motivation dimension included: developing internal loci of control, facilitating high levels of self-efficacy, and developing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The instructional dimension included: selecting appropriate subject matter, using proper instructional methods, utilizing appropriate activity levels, and selecting proper goals.

"When Did They Make the World Like This?" Discovering New Worlds through an Ancient Map.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goben, Victoria

1993-01-01

Describes a teaching activity in which middle school students draw maps based on map models used in ancient Babylon. Contends that this approach serves as a transition from the study of world civilizations in grade six to the U.S. history course in grade seven. Includes 10 student-created maps and student comments about the activity. (CFR)

The Science Teacher: Fall 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Steve

2007-11-01

This article reviews chemistry-related articles published in The Science Teacher from January through Summer 2007. Topics featured in these articles include a student activity simulating HPLC separation, inexpensive inquiry activities using film canisters, learning history as student role-play of scientists in the evolution of atomic theory, testing for radon in homes, and using writing to help high school and elementary students learn about gas laws.

Impact of cultural contact on intercultural competency of occupational therapy students and international graduate students.

PubMed

Matsuda, Sandra J; Miller, Marilyn

2007-01-01

This study examined changes in cultural perceptions and communication of 47 occupational therapy students and 39 international graduate students following 5 peer teaching activities. The peer-teaching activities were designed on the premise that positive contact between people of equal status improves intercultural competency, and included social exchanges, interviews, feedback on practice teaching, and role-playing. Changes in intercultural competency were measured with pre- and post administration of the Cross Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI), as well as questionnaires and journals. Significant positive change between pre- and post-test scores on the CCAI (p<.0002) was found for the 86 participants. When stratified into 3 subgroups (international students and occupational therapy students with and without international travel experience), changes were more pronounced. Occupational therapy students with international travel experience benefited the most from the peer-teaching activities (p<.002) and international graduate students benefited as well (p<.009). Occupational therapy students without international travel experienced no significant change. The findings indicate that peer teaching activities significantly impacted cross-cultural communication for students with prior international travel experience and confirm the importance of contextual learning.

Refining Students' Explanations of an Unfamiliar Physical Phenomenon-Microscopic Friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corpuz, Edgar De Guzman; Rebello, N. Sanjay

2017-08-01

The first phase of this multiphase study involves modeling of college students' thinking of friction at the microscopic level. Diagnostic interviews were conducted with 11 students with different levels of physics backgrounds. A phenomenographic approach of data analysis was used to generate categories of responses which subsequently were used to generate a model of explanation. Most of the students interviewed consistently used mechanical interactions in explaining microscopic friction. According to these students, friction is due to the interlocking or rubbing of atoms. Our data suggest that students' explanations of microscopic friction are predominantly influenced by their macroscopic experiences. In the second phase of the research, teaching experiment was conducted with 18 college students to investigate how students' explanations of microscopic friction can be refined by a series of model-building activities. Data were analyzed using Redish's two-level transfer framework. Our results show that through sequences of hands-on and minds-on activities, including cognitive dissonance and resolution, it is possible to facilitate the refinement of students' explanations of microscopic friction. The activities seemed to be productive in helping students activate associations that refine their ideas about microscopic friction.

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Collaborative Learning in a Differential Equations Mathematics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hajra, Sayonita Ghosh; Das, Ujjaini

2015-01-01

This paper uses collaborative learning strategies to examine students' perceptions in a differential equations mathematics course. Students' perceptions were analyzed using three collaborative learning strategies including collaborative activity, group-quiz and online discussion. The study results show that students identified both strengths and…

How do we know about Earth's history? Constructing the story of Earth's geologic history by collecting and interpreting evidence based scenarios.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruthford, Steven; DeBari, Susan; Linneman, Scott; Boriss, Miguel; Chesbrough, John; Holmes, Randall; Thibault, Allison

2013-04-01

Beginning in 2003, faculty from Western Washington University, Skagit Valley Community College, local public school teachers, and area tribal college members created an innovative, inquiry based undergraduate geology curriculum. The curriculum, titled "Energy and Matter in Earth's Systems," was supported through various grants and partnerships, including Math and Science Partnership and Noyce Teacher Scholarship grants from the National Science Foundation. During 2011, the authors wrote a geologic time unit for the curriculum. The unit is titled, "How Do We Know About Earth's History?" and has students actively investigate the concepts related to geologic time and methods for determining age. Starting with reflection and assessment of personal misconceptions called "Initial Ideas," students organize a series of events into a timeline. The unit then focuses on the concepts of relative dating, biostratigraphy, and historical attempts at absolute dating, including uniformitarianism, catastrophism, Halley and Joly's Salinity hypothesis, and Kelvin's Heat Loss model. With limited lecture and text, students then dive into current understandings of the age of the Earth, which include radioactive decay rates and radiometric dating. Finally, using their newfound understanding, students investigate a number of real world scenarios and create a timeline of events related to the geologic history of the Earth. The unit concludes with activities that reinforce the Earth's absolute age and direct students to summarize what they have learned by reorganizing the timeline from the "Initial Ideas" and sharing with the class. This presentation will include the lesson materials and findings from one activity titled, "The Earth's Story." The activity is located midway through the unit and begins with reflection on the question, "What are the major events in the Earth's history and when did they happen?" Students are directed to revisit the timeline of events from the "Initial Ideas" activity at the beginning of the unit. After the review and reflection, students collect and interpret six evidence based scenarios dealing with the absolute ages of various rocks, including moon and meteorite samples, microfossil data, banded iron formations, plant and animal fossils, tectonic movement, extinction events, and human migration. The scenarios are dated and allow students to have a more complete view of geologic time. Using this more complete view, students are prompted to revisit and reorganize the timeline from the "Initial Ideas." By the end of the lesson, students will demonstrate a more complete understanding of the age of the Earth, the geologic time scale, and the role of biotic factors in Earth's systems.

Classroom Ideas-Winter 1983. Focus on Geology: Rocks, Sand and Crystals. Intermediate Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Bakersfield, Ca. Div. of Instructional Services.

One of a series of activity guides, this publication offers a variety of learning activities and resource materials for intermediate grade students. The activities and resources include: science activities and facts (especially dealing with soil and rocks); mathematics activities; arts and crafts activities (including making a pinata and tree…

Aspects of Marine Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awkerman, Gary L.

This publication is designed for use in standard science curricula to develop oceanologic manifestations of certain science topics. Included are teacher guides, student activities, and demonstrations to impart ocean science understanding, specifically, aspects of marine ecology, to high school students. The course objectives include the ability of…

Clustering of lifestyle factors in Spanish university students: the relationship between smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and diet quality.

PubMed

Moreno-Gómez, Carlos; Romaguera-Bosch, Dora; Tauler-Riera, Pedro; Bennasar-Veny, Miquel; Pericas-Beltran, Jordi; Martinez-Andreu, Sonia; Aguilo-Pons, Antoni

2012-11-01

To ascertain the prevalence of and association between main lifestyle factors (diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking) in students from the Balearic Islands University. A cross-sectional, descriptive study. A questionnaire including questions on lifestyle, dietary habits and physical activity habits was administered to the students. Four different diet quality scores were calculated (Diet Diversity Score, Mediterranean Diet Score, Dietary Guidelines Score and Global Dietary Guidelines Score). A sample of students from the Balearic Islands University. Nine hundred and eighty-seven students (45·5 % males; mean age 21·5 (sd 3·3) years). The dietary pattern of the student population was characterized by a low consumption of cereals and tubers, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes and nuts, and a high consumption of processed meat, sweets, snacks, soft drinks and pastries. Linear, positive and statistically significant correlations were found between the number of meals consumed daily and all of the diet quality scores determined. Determinants of diet quality, both in the univariate and multivariate analyses, were physical activity practice, sex, age and number of meals consumed daily. Risk factors such as smoking, diet and physical inactivity had a tendency of clustering among Spanish university students. Overall diet quality was low, due to important departures from dietary recommendations and loss of the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern. Nutritional education campaigns that include promotion of physical activity practice are needed to improve the overall health status of this population.

Anti-Litter Curriculum Packet, Interdisciplinary, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillis, Richard

This curriculum packet consists of 20 illustrated cards with 15 activities designed to create "positive feelings" about a clean environment. Activities range from picture coloring for younger students, to lessons such as the economic and health problems litter creates for older students. Objectives include encouraging anti-litter and…

Variations on an Historical Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Patrick

2006-01-01

The National Inquiry Standard for Science Education Preparation requires science teachers to introduce students to scientific inquiry to solve problems by various methods, including active learning in a collaborative environment. In order for science teachers to comply with this inquiry standard, activities must be designed for students to…

Coitally Active University Students: Sexual Behaviors, Concerns, and Challenges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darling, Carol A.; Davidson, J. Kenneth., Sr.

1986-01-01

Examined behaviors, attitudes, and concerns of students coitally active. Differences between genders included male dissatisfaction with infrequent opportunities for sexual intercourse, lack of variety of sex partners, and insufficient oral-genital stimulation. Female concerns were lack of stimulation to their breasts, painful sexual intercourse,…

Low Budget Biology: Genetics Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wartski, Bert; Wartski, Lynn Marie

Some concepts in genetics are difficult for many students to understand. This document provides hands-on, cost efficient, fun activities for students to help them better understand abstract concepts in genetics. Each activity includes: purpose, introduction, materials, procedures, results and conclusion. Some of the topics explored are: (1)…

Developing a Global Perspective: Educating for a Global Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Couvio, A. Buddy

1991-01-01

Five methods for increasing college student global awareness through campus activities programing are offered, including a "global quotient" quiz for student populations, international exchanges for activities staff, introduction of world music on campus, a weekly international television show aired on sed-circuit television, and a…

Microgravity: Teacher's Guide with Activities for Physical Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogt, Gregory L.; Wargo, Michael J.

This teacher's guide to microgravity contains 16 student science activities with full background information to facilitate an understanding of the concepts of microgravity for teachers and students. Topics covered in the background sections include the definitions of gravity and microgravity, creating microgravity, the fluid state, combustion…

Grandparents' Day.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Instructor, 2001

2001-01-01

Presents three activities to help elementary students make connections across the generations. Activities include: interviewing grandparents about the toys they played with and how they spent their time; collecting grandparents' words of wisdom and putting them into a book; and gathering the many names students call their grandparents to use in a…

Moodog: Tracking Student Activity in Online Course Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Hangjin; Almeroth, Kevin

2010-01-01

Many universities are currently using Course Management Systems (CMSes) to conduct online learning, for example, by distributing course materials or submitting homework assignments. However, most CMSes do not include comprehensive activity tracking and analysis capabilities. This paper describes a method to track students' online learning…

Narratives of Experiential Learning: Students' Engagement in a Physical Activity-Based Service-Learning Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitley, Meredith A.; Walsh, David; Hayden, Laura; Gould, Daniel

2017-01-01

Purpose: Three undergraduate students' experiences in a physical activity-based service learning course are chronicled using narrative inquiry. Method: Data collection included demographics questionnaires, pre- and postservice interviews, reflection journals, postservice written reflections, and participant observations. The data were analyzed…

Using Communication Technology to Facilitate Scientific Literacy: A Framework for Engaged Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VanBuskirk, Shireen Adele

The purpose of this research project is to describe how existing communication technologies are used to foster scientific literacy for secondary students. This study develops a new framework as an analytic tool to categorize the activities of teachers and students involved in scientific literacy to describe what elements of scientific literacy are facilitated by such technologies. Four case studies are analyzed using the framework to describe the scientific literacy initiatives. Data collection at each site included interviews with the teacher, student focus groups, student surveys, and classroom observations. Qualitative analysis of the data provided insight into the learning activities and student experiences in the four cases. This study intentionally provides a platform for student voice. Very few previous empirical studies in the area of scientific literacy include the student experience. This represents a significant gap in the current literature on scientific literacy. An interpretation of scientific literacy that promotes student engagement, interaction, and initiative corresponds to a need to listen to students' perspectives on these experiences. Findings of the study indicated that the classroom activities depended on the teacher's philosophy regarding scientific literacy. Communication technology was ubiquitous; where the teacher did not initiate the use of social media in the classroom, the students did. The goal of supporting scientific literacy in students is an objective that extends beyond the boundaries of classroom walls, and it can be facilitated by technologies that seem both abundant and underutilized. Technology-enhanced pedagogy altered the classroom practices and resulted in more student participation and engagement.

Online Video Conferencing: A Promising Innovation in Interprofessional Education.

PubMed

Palumbo, Mary V; Bennett, Darcy N

2016-01-01

This pilot project demonstrated using online video conferencing with students from eight disciplines for providing care of a rural elder with multiple chronic conditions. Eighty-three students participated in 12 video case conferences, each led by a nurse-practitioner student. All students were given information on care of elders and the core competencies for interprofessional practice. Nurse-practitioner students were given information and practice on running a team meeting. A survey evaluated the activity in terms of interprofessional competency attainment in four domains (IPEC) by using data aggregated from 14 Likert scale questions. Participants (n=81, 98% response) rated the value of this activity highly (>60% strongly agreed and >25% agreed) across all four competency domains. Differences between disciplines were not found. Open-ended questions confirmed that the students valued the activity but also conveyed a desire for more in-person interprofessional activities to be included in their education.

Creative Activities for String Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stabley, Nola Campbell

2001-01-01

Discusses how to teach improvisation, creativity, and movement to beginning music classroom students. Includes background information on teaching each concept and lesson plans to be used with beginning string students. Provides rhythm patterns, exercises, and an assignment used in the lessons. (CMK)

Cyberhunt.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Chris

2001-01-01

Presents an online activity designed to teach middle- and upper-level elementary school students about the skeletal system. Students are given several questions about the human skeleton, then directed to several online science sites to find the answers. A student reproducible page is included. (SM)

What's Inside the Shell?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, John D.

1983-01-01

Marine hermit crabs are a simple and exciting way to introduce landlocked students to the ocean. Tips for keeping the crabs in the classroom, crab anatomy/behavior, and student activities (including a challenge to students to race their crabs) are discussed. (Author/JN)

High School Physics Students' Personal Epistemologies and School Science Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-11-01

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

Students as Audience: Identity and Information Literacy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Carolyn N.; Thomas, Wm. Joseph

2006-01-01

This article encourages librarians to ask who their students are and how the makeup of the student body influences their instructional planning and presentations. Specifically included are implications for teaching space, planning for and presenting instructional content in person, and identifying outreach activities to selected student groups.…

Toward a New Era: Alternatives for Revitalizing Student Services Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deegan, William L.

Alternatives for revitalizing the programs and management of student services in community colleges are reviewed in this paper. First, alternatives related to student services programs are considered, including: (1) the increased use of computer-assisted counseling to integrate student services more fully with mainstream academic activities; (2)…

Election Information/Issues Analysis Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute for Political/Legal Education, Sewell, NJ.

Procedures for establishing a student-run election information and issue analysis center at the high school level are presented. The purpose of the election information center is to provide the student population with an awareness of candidate's views and to coordinate volunteer activities of students in a campaign. Student personnel include a…

Characterizing Student Perceptions of and Buy-In toward Common Formative Assessment Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brazeal, Kathleen R.; Brown, Tanya L.; Couch, Brian A.

2016-01-01

Formative assessments (FAs) can occur as preclass assignments, in-class activities, or postclass homework. FAs aim to promote student learning by accomplishing key objectives, including clarifying learning expectations, revealing student thinking to the instructor, providing feedback to the student that promotes learning, facilitating peer…

The Perspectives of Students Undertaking Masters' Degrees by Coursework on Career Development Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Shari P.; Tucker, Kelly

2011-01-01

Master's degree by coursework students have been identified as a "forgotten" cohort by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Careers and Employment service. Traditionally, these students have been included in undergraduate career development activities. Master's degree students are arguably a specialised group due to the advanced…

Classroom Materials from the Acoustical Society of America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, W. K.; Clark, A.; Schneider, K.

2013-09-01

As part of the new education initiatives of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), an activity kit for teachers that includes a variety of lessons addressing acoustics for a range of students (K-12) has been created. The "Sound and Music Activity Kit" is free to K-12 teachers. It includes materials sufficient to teach a class of 30 students plus a USB thumb drive containing 47 research-based, interactive, student-tested lessons, laboratory exercises, several assessments, and video clips of a class using the materials. ASA has also partnered with both the Optical Society of America (OSA) and the American Association of Physics Teachers. AAPT Physics Teaching Resource Agents (PTRA) have reviewed the lessons along with members of the ASA Teacher Activity Kit Committee. Topics include basic learning goals for teaching the physics of sound with examples and applications relating to medical imaging, animal bioacoustics, physical and psychological acoustics, speech, audiology, and architectural acoustics.

Developing design-based STEM education learning activities to enhance students' creative thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinasa, Siwa; Siripun, Kulpatsorn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

Creative thinking on applying science and mathematics knowledge is required by the future STEM career. The STEM education should be provided for the required skills of future STEM career. This paper aimed to clarify the developing STEM education learning activities to enhance students' creative thinking. The learning activities were developed for Grade 10 students who will study in the subject of independent study (IS) of Khon Kaen Wittayayon School, Khon Kaen, Thailand. The developing STEM education learning activities for enhancing students' creative thinking was developed regarding on 6 steps including (1) providing of understanding of fundamental STEM education concept, (2) generating creative thinking from prototype, (4) revised ideas, (5) engineering ability, and (6) presentation and discussion. The paper will clarify the 18 weeks activities that will be provided based these 6 steps of developing learning activities. Then, these STEM learning activities will be discussed to provide the chance of enhancing students' creative thinking. The paper may have implication for STEM education in school setting.

Utilizing Model Eliciting Activities (MEA's) to engage middle school teachers and students in storm water management practices to mitigate human impacts of land development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tazaz, A.; Wilson, R. M.; Schoen, R.; Blumsack, S.; King, L.; Dyehouse, M.

2013-12-01

'The Integrating STEM Project' engaged 6-8 grade teachers through activities incorporating mathematics, science and technology incorporating both Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core State Standards-Mathematics (CCSS-Math). A group of researchers from Oceanography, Mathematics, and Education set out to provide middle school teachers with a 2 year intensive STEM integration professional development with a focus on environmental topics and to monitor the achievement outcomes in their students. Over the course of 2 years the researchers created challenging professional development sessions to expand teacher knowledge and teachers were tasked to transform the information gained during the professional development sessions for classroom use. One lesson resource kit presented to the teachers, which was directly applicable to the classroom, included Model Eliciting Activities (MEA's) to explore the positive and negative effects land development has on climate and the environment, and how land development impacts storm water management. MEA's were developed to encourage students to create models to solve complex problems and to allow teachers to investigate students thinking. MEA's are a great curriculum technique used in engineering fields to help engage students by providing hands on activities using real world data and problems. We wish to present the Storm Water Management Resource toolkit including the MEA and present the outcomes observed from student engagement in this activity.

Using interviews and peer pairs to better understand how school environments affect young children's playground physical activity levels: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Parrish, Anne-Maree; Yeatman, Heather; Iverson, Don; Russell, Ken

2012-04-01

School break times provide a daily opportunity for children to be active; however, research indicates this time is underutilized. Reasons for low children's playground activity levels have primarily focused on physical barriers. This research aimed to contribute to physical environmental findings affecting children's playground physical activity levels by identifying additional variables through the interview process. Thirteen public schools were included in the sample (total 2946 children). Physical activity and environmental data were collected over 3 days. Environmental variables were manually assessed at each of the 13 schools. Observational data were used to determine which three schools were the most and least active. The principal, three teachers and 20 students in Grades 4-6 from these six schools (four lower and two average socioeconomic status) were invited to participate in the interview process. Student interviews involved the paired interview technique. The main themes generated from the school interviews included the effect of non-fixed equipment (including balls), playground markings, playground aesthetics, activity preference, clothing, the amount of break time available for play, teacher playground involvement, gender, bullying, school policies, student confidence in break-time activity and fundamental movement skills. The effect of bullying on playground physical activity levels was concerning.

Students Own Their Introductory Chemistry Experience: Becoming an Element for a Semester

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fautch, Jessica M.; Foresman, James B.

2017-01-01

Introductory science courses serve a population of students in the major (i.e., chemistry) as well as those students outside the discipline (i.e., premed, biology, engineering). In an effort to help this diverse population of students connect personally with the content of the course, we sought ways to include student-centered activities, provide…

Enhancing Assignment Perceptions in Students with Mathematics Learning Disabilities by Including More Work: An Extension of Interspersal Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildmon, Mark E.; Skinner, Christopher H.; Watson, T. Steuart; Garrett, L. Shan

2004-01-01

Active student responding is often required to remedy computation skill deficits in students with learning disabilities. However, these students may find computation assignments unrewarding and frustrating, and be less likely to choose to engage in assigned computation tasks. In the current study, middle school students with learning disabilities…

The Relationship between Teachers' Implementation of Classroom Management Practices and Student Behavior in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gage, Nicholas A.; Scott, Terrance; Hirn, Regina; MacSuga-Gage, Ashley S.

2018-01-01

Teachers' classroom management practices have a direct impact on their students' probability of success. Evidence-based classroom management practices include (a) active instruction and supervision of students (i.e., teaching), (b) opportunities for students to respond, and (c) feedback to students. In this study, we examined the degree to which…

Influencing attitudes toward science through field experiences in biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carpenter, Deborah Mcintyre

The purpose of this study was to determine how student attitudes toward science are influenced by field experiences in undergraduate biology courses. The study was conducted using two institutions of higher education including a 2-year lower-level and a 2-year upper-level institution. Data were collected through interviews with student participants, focus group discussions, students' journal entries, and field notes recorded by the researcher during the field activities. Photographs and video recordings were also used as documentation sources. Data were collected over a period of 34 weeks. Themes that emerged from the qualitative data included students' beliefs that field experiences (a) positively influence student motivation to learn, (b) increase student ability to learn the concepts being taught, and (c) provide opportunities for building relationships and for personal growth. The findings of the study reinforce the importance of offering field-study programs at the undergraduate level to allow undergraduate students the opportunity to experience science activities in a field setting. The research study was framed by the behavioral and developmental theories of attitude and experience including the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) and the Theory of Experiential Learning (Kolb, 1984).

Vodcasts and active-learning exercises in a "flipped classroom" model of a renal pharmacotherapy module.

PubMed

Pierce, Richard; Fox, Jeremy

2012-12-12

To implement a "flipped classroom" model for a renal pharmacotherapy topic module and assess the impact on pharmacy students' performance and attitudes. Students viewed vodcasts (video podcasts) of lectures prior to the scheduled class and then discussed interactive cases of patients with end-stage renal disease in class. A process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) activity was developed and implemented that complemented, summarized, and allowed for application of the material contained in the previously viewed lectures. Students' performance on the final examination significantly improved compared to performance of students the previous year who completed the same module in a traditional classroom setting. Students' opinions of the POGIL activity and the flipped classroom instructional model were mostly positive. Implementing a flipped classroom model to teach a renal pharmacotherapy module resulted in improved student performance and favorable student perceptions about the instructional approach. Some of the factors that may have contributed to students' improved scores included: student mediated contact with the course material prior to classes, benchmark and formative assessments administered during the module, and the interactive class activities.

A longitudinal study of health professional students' attitudes towards interprofessional education at an American university.

PubMed

Wong, Risa Liang; Fahs, Deborah Bain; Talwalkar, Jaideep S; Colson, Eve R; Desai, Mayur M; Kayingo, Gerald; Balanda, Matthew; Luczak, Anthony G; Rosenthal, Marjorie S

2016-01-01

Efforts to improve interprofessional education (IPE) are informed by attitudes of health professional students, yet there are limited US data on student characteristics and experiences associated with positive attitudes towards IPE. A cohort of US medical, nursing, and physician associate students was surveyed in their first and third years, using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale and Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale. Information was also collected on demographics and experiences during training. Health professional students differed in their attitudes towards IPE; characteristics associated with having more positive attitudes at both time points included being a nursing student, female, older, and having more previous healthcare experience. Students who participated in interprofessional extracurricular activities (particularly patient-based activities) during training reported more positive attitudes in the third year than those who did not participate in such activities. Based on these findings, schools may consider how student characteristics and participation in interprofessional extracurricular activities can affect attitudes regarding IPE. Building on the positive elements of this interprofessional extracurricular experience, schools may also want to consider service-learning models of IPE where students work together on shared goals.

Empowering Students in Science through Active Learning: Voices From Inside the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, Sabrina Ann

Preparing students for success in the 21st century has shifted the focus of science education from acquiring information and knowledge to mastery of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teacher and student perspectives of the relationship between (a) active learning, problem solving, and achievement in science and (b) the conditions that help facilitate this environment. Adapting a social constructivist theoretical framework, high school science teachers and students were interviewed, school records analyzed, curriculum documents studied, and classes observed. The findings revealed that students were engaged with the material in an active learning environment, which led to a sense of involvement, interest, and meaningful learning. Students felt empowered to take ownership of their learning, developed the critical thinking skills necessary to solve problems independently and became aware of how they learn best, which students reported as interactive learning. Moreover, student reflections revealed that an active environment contributed to deeper understanding and higher skills through interaction and discussion, including questioning, explaining, arguing, and contemplating scientific concepts with their peers. Recommendations are for science teachers to provide opportunities for students to work actively, collaborate in groups, and discuss their ideas to develop the necessary skills for achievement and for administrators to facilitate the conditions needed for active learning to occur.

Open-ended versus guided laboratory activities:Impact on students' beliefs about experimental physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, Bethany R.; Lewandowski, H. J.

2016-12-01

Improving students' understanding of the nature of experimental physics is often an explicit or implicit goal of undergraduate laboratory physics courses. However, lab activities in traditional lab courses are typically characterized by highly structured, guided labs that often do not require or encourage students to engage authentically in the process of experimental physics. Alternatively, open-ended laboratory activities can provide a more authentic learning environment by, for example, allowing students to exercise greater autonomy in what and how physical phenomena are investigated. Engaging in authentic practices may be a critical part of improving students' beliefs around the nature of experimental physics. Here, we investigate the impact of open-ended activities in undergraduate lab courses on students' epistemologies and expectations about the nature of experimental physics, as well as their confidence and affect, as measured by the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). Using a national data set of student responses to the E-CLASS, we find that the inclusion of some open-ended lab activities in a lab course correlates with more expertlike postinstruction responses relative to courses that include only traditional guided lab activities. This finding holds when examining postinstruction E-CLASS scores while controlling for the variance associated with preinstruction scores, course level, student major, and student gender.

Integration of Major Computer Program Packages into Experimental Courses: A Freshman Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipschitz, Irving

1981-01-01

Describes the use of the Gaussian 70 computer programs to carry out quantum chemical calculations, including single calculations, geometry, optimization, and potential surface scans. Includes a summary of student activities and benefits for students in an honors freshman chemistry course. (SK)

Embedding Sustainability Instruction across Content Areas: best Classroom Practices from Informal Environmental Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clary, R. M.; Walker, R. M.; Wissehr, C.

2017-12-01

Environmental education (EE) facilitates students' scientific and environmental literacy, and addresses content areas including sustainability, ecology, and civic responsibility. However, U.S. science content compartmentalization and EE's interdisciplinary nature historically made it a fragmented curriculum within U.S. schools. To gain a better understanding of effective EE instruction that can be transferred to traditional K-12 classrooms, we researched the interactions between a recognized environmental residential camp and students and teachers from six participating schools using grounded theory methodology. Our research identified the residential learning center's objectives, methods of instruction, and objectives' alignment to the delivered curricula. Data generated included lesson plans, survey responses, and interviews. Students (n = 215) identified wilderness and geology activities as the activities they wanted to experience more; they also identified developing curiosity and a sense of discovery as the most meaningful. Whereas most student-identified meaningful experiences aligned with the center's curricular objectives within the optional units, categories emerged that were not explicitly targeted in the unit activities but were embedded throughout the curriculum in sustainable practices, data collection, and reflections. We propose that embedded activities and implicit instruction can be included across content areas within K-12 classrooms. Teacher modeling and implicit instruction will require minimal classroom time, and facilitate students' scientific and environmental literacy in topics such as sustainability and citizen responsibility.

The Effectiveness of the Dramatic Activities in the Development of the Oral Performance Skills of Prep Students in English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zayed, Jihan El-Sayed Ahmed

2003-01-01

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of using some dramatic activities on developing the oral performance skills of second year prep school students in English. The dramatic activities included storytelling, story-acting, pantomime, puppetry, role-playing, reader's theater and choral reading. The oral performance skills were…

Virtual Mobility as an Inclusion Strategy in Higher Education: Research on Distance Education Master Degrees in Europe, Latin America and Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz-Corbella, Marta; Álvarez-González, Beatriz

2014-01-01

Mobility of higher education students is one of the main indicators of competitiveness among universities, and a key aspect for quality in education. Colleges with virtual and distance methodologies include student mobility programmes. Within this context, the Active Projects (Erasmus MUNDUS Programme, EC: Net-Active and Active-Asia) compare and…

Illinois Natural Heritage Conservation/Education Kit III. Special Theme: Prairie and Open Habitats Ecology and Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Sally F.

This instructional guide contains 15 activities and exercises designed to help teachers familiarize their students with prairie and open habitat resources of Illinois. Each activity or exercise is ready to be copied and given to students. Activities include: (1) making a marsh hawk model; (2) building a prairie ecosystem; (3) investigating food…

"Life Is Like a River": The Austin Youth River Watch Final Report, 1994-95. Publication Number 94.15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Jeannine

The City of Austin (Texas) provided funds for a supplementary educational activity to involve at-risk minority high school students in water quality issues. The program encourages at-risk students to remain in school by providing an interesting and authentic activity to use in the development of academic skills. Program activities included testing…

Classroom Ideas-Winter 1983. Focus on Geology: Rocks, Sand and Crystals. Primary Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Bakersfield, Ca. Div. of Instructional Services.

One of a series of activity guides, this publication offers a variety of learning activities and resource materials for primary grade students. The activities and resources include: science activities (especially dealing with soil and rocks); word puzzles and other puzzles; arts and crafts activities (including Christmas tree ornaments);…

An active-learning laboratory on immunizations.

PubMed

Donohoe, Krista L; Mawyer, Tonya M; Stevens, J Tyler; Morgan, Laura A; Harpe, Spencer E

2012-12-12

To implement and evaluate an active-learning laboratory activity to teach pharmacy students about influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines. The laboratory session was divided into 6 immunization stations: 3 stations on influenza including a pediatrics station, and 1 station each for pneumococcal, shingles, and anaphylaxis. Although 118 of 123 (95.9%) students had completed an immunization training certificate prior to attending the laboratory, the average score on a pre-assessment to measure immunization knowledge and confidence was 56%. The post-assessment score was 87.4%. Students' confidence improved by 18.7% to 51.2% in each of the 5 areas assessed. Most respondents rated the activity overall as good or excellent on a post-activity evaluation. An active-learning approach to teaching immunizations allowed students to gain knowledge in simulated real-world experiences and reinforced key concepts on influenza, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines.

Sample Strategies Used To Serve Rural Students in the Least Restrictive Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helge, Doris

This booklet provides sample strategies to ameliorate service delivery problems commonly encountered by rural special educators. Strategies to increase acceptance of disabled students by nondisabled peers include buddy systems and class activities that promote personal interaction, simulation activities, and social and personal skills development.…

Super Send-Offs for All Ages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haskvitz, Alan; And Others

1994-01-01

Several activities to help teachers focus students' attention on learning at the end of the year include quiz games, mystery boxes, map games, videotapes, gift making, author birthday parties, yard sales, ice cream science, and summer safety activities. Younger students can create murals, play editing games, and enjoy special ceremonies. (SM)

Mythology, Archaeology, Architecture. Learning Works Enrichment Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sylvester, Diane; Wiemann, Mary

The activities in this book have been selected especially for gifted students in grades 4 through 8. They are designed to challenge and help students develop and apply higher-level thinking skills. The activities have been grouped by subject matter into mythology, archaeology, and architecture. The mythology section includes Chinese, Eskimo,…

The Stock Market Game, an Educator's Guide. Elementary School Edition [Grades 6-8].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

Helping students learn about taking responsibility for the planning and shaping of their personal financial futures is this 13-lesson teaching unit's goal. Each lesson includes performance objectives, materials, motivational activities, development, and enrichment activities. Concepts are taught through worksheets, stories, and games. Students are…

Student Activity Guide for "Business in an Information Economy."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graf, David; And Others

The 20 chapters of this student activity guide provide study guides (key terms and concepts reviews), projects, cases for analyses, and self-assessment exercises for business and career education classes. Topics covered include the following: business winners (entrepreneurship); growth of the U.S. economy, the basics of economics, comparing…

Ten Projects to Involve Your Students Directly in French.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Lent, Peter C.

1981-01-01

Proposes 10 activities to provide French classes of all levels with a broad spectrum of language projects involving direct and active use of French including students polling each other, skits based on television commercials, geographical "show and tell," cooking French dishes, writing a monthly newspaper, and field trips. (BK)

Making a Natural Product Chemistry Course Meaningful with a Mini Project Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakim, Aliefman; Liliasari; Kadarohman, Asep; Syah, Yana Maolana

2016-01-01

This paper discusses laboratory activities that can improve the meaningfulness of natural product chemistry course. These laboratory activities can be useful for students from many different disciplines including chemistry, pharmacy, and medicine. Students at the third-year undergraduate level of chemistry education undertake the project to…

Understanding Students' Competition Preference in Multiple-Mice Supported Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Ben; Chuang, Min-Tun; Ho, Spes

2013-01-01

Competition has been prevalent in all types of childhood activities including playing, learning, and living. Studies have shown that a well-designed competitive activity can motivate students to perform at an increased level. However, there have been few research studies on the relationship between learners' preferences and performance in relation…

Y Is for Yacht Race: A Game of Angles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butzow, John W.

1986-01-01

Describes an activity approach for teaching upper elementary school students the concept of angles. In the interdisciplinary activity, students practice reading and drawing angles from 0 to 360 degrees as they simulate the behaviors used to navigate a sailboat. Includes list of equipment needed and procedures used. (JN)

Bringing Algorithms to Life: Cooperative Computing Activities Using Students as Processors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachelis, Gregory F.; And Others

1994-01-01

Presents cooperative computing activities in which each student plays the role of a switch or processor and acts out algorithms. Includes binary counting, finding the smallest card in a deck, sorting by selection and merging, adding and multiplying large numbers, and sieving for primes. (16 references) (Author/MKR)

"Michael Jackson World Tour:" Maps and Globes--Latitude and Longitude.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benscoter, Gloria Dee

1988-01-01

Presents a mapping activity which helps students understand the purpose of latitude and longitude lines. Gives students an opportunity to use longitude and latitude in a meaningful way by asking them to plan a world concert tour for a rock star. Includes a reproducible activity page. (LS)

Hands-On Whole Science. What Rots?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markle, Sandra

1991-01-01

Presents activities on the science of garbage to help elementary students learn to save the earth. A rotting experiment teaches students what happens to apple slices sealed in plastic or buried in damp soil. Other activities include reading stories on the subject and conducting classroom composting or toxic materials projects. (SM)

Factors affecting student participation in extra-curricular activities: A comparison between two Middle Eastern dental schools.

PubMed

Al-Ansari, Asim; Al-Harbi, Fahad; AbdelAziz, Wafaa; AbdelSalam, Maha; El Tantawi, Maha M; ElRefae, Ismail

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to assess the level of participation of dental undergraduate students in extracurricular activities (ECAs) and the factors affecting this participation. The study included dental students enrolled in undergraduate programs at the Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Egypt, and the College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was developed to collect background information about students, their participation in ECAs, and time allocated for these activities. Students were asked about their perceptions of the relationship between ECAs and academic studies, and their reasons for participating in and satisfaction with ECAs. The study included 199 students from Alexandria and 146 students from Dammam, with response rates of 99.5% and 73%, respectively. The percentages of those reporting ECA participation were 27.1% and 43.8%, respectively, mostly in community service, sports, and social activities. About 60% of students did not think that ECAs affected their studies, although the perceived difficulty of balancing ECAs and academics was associated with lower odds of participation (odds ratio = 0.51). Most students participated in ECAs to socialize and make friends, and the majority was dissatisfied with school-organized ECAs (52% and 59%, respectively). Gender and/or perceived relation between ECAs and academic studies affected actual participation in ECAs in one school but not the other. ECA participation among these students was low. Gender and perception of ECAs in relation to academic studies affected ECA participation differently in the two schools. Better planning and management of ECAs that incorporate students' preferences and reasons for participation is needed. Gender issues and the relationship between ECAs and academic performance should be addressed in relation to school and social characteristics.

Including the kids across the hall: collaborative instruction of hearing, deaf, and hard-of-hearing students.

PubMed

Gaustad, M

1999-01-01

This study follows graduate interns and their cooperating teachers through a collaborative student teaching experience in D/HH and hearing classrooms at the same grade level. Teacher teams, enrolled in a graduate course on collaboration, designed and conducted collaborative instruction (K-junior high school level), which focused on cooperative learning activities. Measures included student evaluations and separate intern and teacher evaluations of student performance, the integrated instructional units, and professional collaboration. Student evaluations included positive responses to integrated instruction by both groups, though there was more trepidation expressed by some D/HH students. Teachers reported very positive outcomes for all students including increased motivation to learn about and to interact with the other group and, for D/HH students, an increase in socially and academically appropriate behaviors. Specific student needs for training prior to integrated experiences were noted. Teachers stressed the importance of topic selections that would involve the expertise of all participants equally, needs for teacher in-service training and, administrative support for collaborative planning.

A Novel Teaching Tool Combined With Active-Learning to Teach Antimicrobial Spectrum Activity.

PubMed

MacDougall, Conan

2017-03-25

Objective. To design instructional methods that would promote long-term retention of knowledge of antimicrobial pharmacology, particularly the spectrum of activity for antimicrobial agents, in pharmacy students. Design. An active-learning approach was used to teach selected sessions in a required antimicrobial pharmacology course. Students were expected to review key concepts from the course reader prior to the in-class sessions. During class, brief concept reviews were followed by active-learning exercises, including a novel schematic method for learning antimicrobial spectrum of activity ("flower diagrams"). Assessment. At the beginning of the next quarter (approximately 10 weeks after the in-class sessions), 360 students (three yearly cohorts) completed a low-stakes multiple-choice examination on the concepts in antimicrobial spectrum of activity. When data for students was pooled across years, the mean number of correct items was 75.3% for the items that tested content delivered with the active-learning method vs 70.4% for items that tested content delivered via traditional lecture (mean difference 4.9%). Instructor ratings on student evaluations of the active-learning approach were high (mean scores 4.5-4.8 on a 5-point scale) and student comments were positive about the active-learning approach and flower diagrams. Conclusion. An active-learning approach led to modestly higher scores in a test of long-term retention of pharmacology knowledge and was well-received by students.

A Novel Teaching Tool Combined With Active-Learning to Teach Antimicrobial Spectrum Activity

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objective. To design instructional methods that would promote long-term retention of knowledge of antimicrobial pharmacology, particularly the spectrum of activity for antimicrobial agents, in pharmacy students. Design. An active-learning approach was used to teach selected sessions in a required antimicrobial pharmacology course. Students were expected to review key concepts from the course reader prior to the in-class sessions. During class, brief concept reviews were followed by active-learning exercises, including a novel schematic method for learning antimicrobial spectrum of activity (“flower diagrams”). Assessment. At the beginning of the next quarter (approximately 10 weeks after the in-class sessions), 360 students (three yearly cohorts) completed a low-stakes multiple-choice examination on the concepts in antimicrobial spectrum of activity. When data for students was pooled across years, the mean number of correct items was 75.3% for the items that tested content delivered with the active-learning method vs 70.4% for items that tested content delivered via traditional lecture (mean difference 4.9%). Instructor ratings on student evaluations of the active-learning approach were high (mean scores 4.5-4.8 on a 5-point scale) and student comments were positive about the active-learning approach and flower diagrams. Conclusion. An active-learning approach led to modestly higher scores in a test of long-term retention of pharmacology knowledge and was well-received by students. PMID:28381885

Science Activities for Children 3 to 9 Years Old.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Bonnie E.

Activities in the life and physical sciences are provided (in separate sections) for preschool and elementary school students. Life science activities include those related to plants, soil, habitats, fossils, animals, life cycles, food chains, nutrition, and other biologically-oriented topics. Physical science activities include those related to…

Do Active Learning Approaches in Recitation Sections Improve Student Performance? A Case Study from an Introductory Mechanics Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobin, R. G.

2018-01-01

Abundant research leaves little question that pedagogical approaches involving active student engagement with the material, and opportunities for student-to-student discussions, lead to much better learning outcomes than traditional instructor-led, expository instructional formats, in physics and in many other fields. In introductory college physics classes, some departments have departed radically from conventional lecture-recitation-laboratory course structures, but many, including my own, retain the basic format of large-group classroom sessions (lectures) supplemented by smaller-group meetings focused on problem solving (recitations) and separate laboratory meetings. Active student engagement in the lectures is encouraged through approaches such as Peer Instruction and Interactive Lecture Demonstrations, and these approaches have been demonstrably successful.

Using targeted active-learning exercises and diagnostic question clusters to improve students' understanding of carbon cycling in ecosystems.

PubMed

Maskiewicz, April Cordero; Griscom, Heather Peckham; Welch, Nicole Turrill

2012-01-01

In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and organic carbon-containing compounds in biological systems. These results helped us identify specific active-learning exercises that would be responsive to students' existing knowledge. The effects of the active-learning interventions were then examined through analysis of students' pre- and postinstruction responses on the DQCs. The biology and non-biology majors participating in this study attended a range of institutions and the instructors varied in their use of active learning; one lecture-only comparison class was included. Changes in pre- to postinstruction scores on the DQCs showed that an instructor's teaching method had a highly significant effect on student reasoning following course instruction, especially for questions pertaining to cellular-level, carbon-transforming processes. We conclude that using targeted in-class activities had a beneficial effect on student learning regardless of major or class size, and argue that using diagnostic questions to identify effective learning activities is a valuable strategy for promoting learning, as gains from lecture-only classes were minimal.

Using Targeted Active-Learning Exercises and Diagnostic Question Clusters to Improve Students' Understanding of Carbon Cycling in Ecosystems

PubMed Central

Maskiewicz, April Cordero; Griscom, Heather Peckham; Welch, Nicole Turrill

2012-01-01

In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and organic carbon-containing compounds in biological systems. These results helped us identify specific active-learning exercises that would be responsive to students' existing knowledge. The effects of the active-learning interventions were then examined through analysis of students' pre- and postinstruction responses on the DQCs. The biology and non–biology majors participating in this study attended a range of institutions and the instructors varied in their use of active learning; one lecture-only comparison class was included. Changes in pre- to postinstruction scores on the DQCs showed that an instructor's teaching method had a highly significant effect on student reasoning following course instruction, especially for questions pertaining to cellular-level, carbon-transforming processes. We conclude that using targeted in-class activities had a beneficial effect on student learning regardless of major or class size, and argue that using diagnostic questions to identify effective learning activities is a valuable strategy for promoting learning, as gains from lecture-only classes were minimal. PMID:22383618

Culturally diverse health care students' experiences with teaching strategies in Finland: a national survey.

PubMed

Pitkajarvi, Marianne; Eriksson, Elina; Pitkala, Kaisu

2013-06-01

All over the world, current health care students come from a variety of cultural, linguistic and educational backgrounds. Their expectations and learning needs vary, yet little is known about how our current education system meets their needs. The purpose of this study was to explore culturally diverse health care students' experiences of teaching strategies in polytechnic faculties of health care in Finland. Specifically, we aimed to compare how international students and Finnish students experience the same curriculum. A cross sectional survey. Ten polytechnic faculties of health care in Finland offering English-Language-Taught Degree Programmess (ELTDPs). 283 students studying nursing, public health nursing, or physiotherapy in English. Of these, 166 were international students and 112 were Finnish students. The data were collected using a questionnaire designed specifically for this study. The survey included items grouped into seven dimensions: 1. concreteness of theoretical instruction, 2. encouragement of student activity, 3. use of skills labs, 4. variation among teaching strategies, 5. assessment, 6. interaction in the English-Language-Taught Degree Programmes, and 7. approach to diversity in the English-Language-Taught Degree Programmes. The most positive experiences for all students were with the approach to cultural diversity and the concreteness of theoretical instruction, whereas the most negative experiences were with assessment. International students' experiences were more positive than Finnish students' in the following dimensions: encouragement of student activity (p=0.005), variation among teaching strategies (p<0.001), and assessment (p<0.001). Compared to the Finnish students, more than double the number of international students were dissatisfied with their lives (p<0.001). The implications for education include the strengthening teachers' leadership role in small group activities, providing individual and detailed feedback, and ensuring appropriate support mechanisms for all students. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student and Community Engagement in Earth, Space, and Environmental Sciences Through Experiential Learning and Citizen Science as Part of Research Broader Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Alaa; Ahmed, Yasmin

2015-04-01

Fulfilling the broader impact of a research project in Earth and environmental sciences is an excellent opportunity for educational and outreach activities that connect scientists and society and enhance students and community engagement in STEM fields in general and in Earth, space, and environmental sciences in particular. Here we present the experience developed in this endeavor as part of our Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) project sponsored by USAID/NSF/NAS. The project introduced educational and outreach activities that included core curriculum course development for university students from all majors, community-based learning projects, citizen science and outreach programs to school students and community members. Through these activities, students worked with the project scientists on a variety of activities that ranged from citizen science and undergraduate research to run mass experiments that measure the quality of air, drinking water, and ultraviolet level in greater Cairo, Egypt, to community awareness campaigns through the production of short documentaries and communicating them with stakeholders and target groups, including schools and TV stations. The activities enhanced students learning and the public awareness on climate change and the underlying role of human activities. It also connected effectively the project scientists with college and university students a well as the wider segments of the society, which resulted in a host of benefits including better scientific literacy and appreciation to the role of scientists, promoting scientists as role models, sharing the values of science, and motivating future generations to puruse a career in science This work is part of the PEER research project 2-239 sponsored by USAID/NSF/NAS Project Link (at National Academies website): http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/dsc/peerscience/PGA_084046.htm website: http://CleanAirEgypt.org Links to cited work: Core Curriculum Course: http://bit.ly/FutureLife Citizen Science Project: Quality of Air, Drinking Water, and U.V. Level in Greater Cairo: Map 1: http://bit.ly/AirWaterLightMap1 Map 2: http://bit.ly/AirWaterLightMap2 Short Documentaries Student Projects: https://vimeo.com/science2society/videos Project video: https://vimeo.com/100427525

Student and Community Engagement in Earth, Space, and Environmental Sciences Through Experiential Learning and Citizen Science as Part of Research Broader Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, A. I.; Tutwiler, R.; Zakey, A.; Shokr, M. E.; Ahmed, Y.; Jereidini, D.; Eid, M.

2014-12-01

Fulfilling the broader impact of a research project in Earth and environmental sciences is an excellent opportunity for educational and outreach activities that connect scientists and society and enhance students and community engagement in STEM fields in general and in Earth, space, and environmental sciences in particular. Here we present the experience developed in this endeavor as part of our Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) project sponsored by USAID/NSF/NAS. The project introduced educational and outreach activities that included core curriculum course development for university students from all majors, community-based learning projects, citizen science and outreach programs to school students and community members. Through these activities, students worked with the project scientists on a variety of activities that ranged from citizen science and undergraduate research to run mass experiments that measure the quality of air, drinking water, and ultraviolet level in greater Cairo, Egypt, to community awareness campaigns through the production of short documentaries and communicating them with stakeholders and target groups, including schools and TV stations. The activities enhanced students learning and the public awareness on climate change and the underlying role of human activities. It also connected effectively the project scientists with college and university students a well as the wider segments of the society, which resulted in a host of benefits including better scientific literacy and appreciation to the role of scientists, promoting scientists as role models, sharing the values of science, and motivating future generations to puruse a career in science Note: This presentation is a PEER project sponsored by USAID/NSF/NAS Project Link (at National Academies website): http://sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/dsc/peerscience/PGA_084046.htmwebsite: http://CleanAirEgypt.orgLinks to cited work: Core Curriculum Course: http://bit.ly/FutureLife Citizen Science Project: Quality of Air, Drinking Water, and U.V. Level in Greater Cairo: Map 1: http://bit.ly/AirWaterLightMap1 Map 2: http://bit.ly/AirWaterLightMap2 Short Documentaries Student Projects: https://vimeo.com/science2society/videos Project video: http://CleanAirEgypt.org

Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for College Students

PubMed Central

Martinez, Yannica Theda S.; Harmon, Brook E.; Bantum, Erin O.; Strayhorn, Shaila

2016-01-01

Objectives To understand perceived barriers of a diverse sample of college students and their suggestions for interventions aimed at healthy eating, cooking, and physical activity. Methods Forty students (33% Asian American, 30% mixed ethnicity) were recruited. Six focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded. Coding began with a priori codes, but allowed for additional codes to emerge. Analysis of questionnaires on participants’ dietary and physical activity practices and behaviors provided context for qualitative findings. Results Barriers included time, cost, facility quality, and intimidation. Tailoring towards a college student’s lifestyle, inclusion of hands-on skill building, and online support and resources were suggested strategies. Conclusions Findings provide direction for diet and physical activity interventions and policies aimed at college students. PMID:28480225

Student-Generated Multimedia Projects in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Tim; Brown, Abbie H.

2002-01-01

Explains how student-generated, computer-based multimedia projects can be meaningful learning activities to integrate into the K-12 curriculum. Describes three phases: design, including goals and objectives of the project and use of the finished product; production, including choosing multimedia software, prototyping, and usability testing; and…

Interactive instruction in otolaryngology resident education.

PubMed

Schweinfurth, John M

2007-12-01

Today's academic faculty was typically trained under an education system based entirely on didactic lectures. However, if the aim is to teach thinking or change attitudes beyond the simple transmission of factual knowledge, then lectures alone, without active involvement of the students, are not the most effective method of teaching. If the goals of teaching are to arouse and keep students' interest, give facts and details, to make students think critically about the subject, and to prepare for independent studies by demonstration of problem solving and professional reasoning, then only two of these purposes are suited to didactic lectures. The problem then is how to organize lecture material so that individual student's learning needs are better addressed. The education literature suggests that instruction include a variety of activities designed to stimulate individual thought. These activities include small group discussion, working problems during lecture time, questions included in the lecture, and quizzes at the end of lecture, among others. The current study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of using these types of interactive learning techniques in an otolaryngology residency program. Possibilities considered in the current study include standard interactive lecturing, facilitated discussion, brainstorming, small group activities, problem solving, competitive large group exercises, and the use of illustrative cliff hanger and incident cases. The feasibility of these methodologies being effectively incorporated into a residency curriculum is discussed.

Broadening Participation in Geosciences with Academic Year and Summer Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, S. A.; Howard, A.; Johnson, L. P.; Gutierrez, R.; Chow, Y.

2013-12-01

Medgar Evers College, City University of New York, has initiated a multi-tiered strategy aimed at increasing the number of under-represented minority and female students pursuing careers in the Geosciences, especially Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and related areas. The strategy incorporates research on the persistence of minority and female under-represented students in STEM disciplines. The initiatives include NASA and NSF-funded team-based undergraduate research activities during the summer and academic year as well as academic support (clustering, PTLT workshops for gatekeeper courses), curriculum integration modules, and independent study/special topics courses. In addition, high school students are integrated into summer research activities working with undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty and other scientist mentors. An important initial component was the building of an infrastructure to support remote sensing, supported by NASA. A range of academic year and summer research experiences are provided to capture student interest in the geosciences. NYC-based research activities include urban impacts of global climate change, the urban heat island, ocean turbulence and general circulation models, and space weather: magnetic rope structure, solar flares and CMEs. Field-based investigations include atmospheric observations using BalloonSat sounding vehicles, observations of tropospheric ozone using ozonesondes, and investigations of the ionosphere using a CubeSat. This presentation provides a description of the programs, student impact, challenges and observations.

Fossils, Facies and Geologic Time: Active Learning Yields More Expert-Like Thinking in a Large Class for Senior Science Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutherland, S.; Jones, F. M.

2012-12-01

Teaching and assessing concepts involving the relationships between deep time and the Earth System can be challenging. This is especially true in elective courses for senior general science students who should be starting to think more like experts, but lack background knowledge in geology. By comparing student activities and work, both before and after introducing active learning strategies, we show that increased maturity of thinking about geological time was achieved in the science elective "Earth and Life through Time" taken by 150 upper level general science students. Student demographics were very similar in 2010 and 2011 allowing comparison of data from a consistent end of term survey, classroom observations, and test or exercise questions used in both years. Students identified the workload as greater in 2011, yet they also gave the course a stronger overall rating of excellence. Also, students in 2011 felt assessments and homework were more appropriate and expressed a nearly unanimous preference for group versus solo class work. More objective indicators of improvement include item analysis on test questions which shows increased difficulty and discrimination without compromising overall scores. The wide variety of changes introduced in 2011 do make it difficult to rigorously ascribe specific causes for improvement in how students think about geologic time. However the shift towards more sophisticated thinking involving skills rather than recall can be demonstrated by comparing geological interpretations produced by students in early and improved versions of exercises. For example, labs have always involved basic identification of rocks and fossils. Now, the new in-class group-based activities enable students to use data to establish the relative history of a geologic section, including environments, ages of known materials, and time spans of materials missing at unconformities. In addition to activities, specific exam questions and corresponding results from both versions of the course also reveal improvements. In order to help educators improve teaching and assessment of geologic time in similar settings, we will offer some details about course modifications and activities. First, learning goals were adjusted to emphasize skills geologists use when interpreting the geological record, rather than focusing on specific knowledge such dates, time spans and rock or fossil names. Then, one third of the lectures were replaced with 50-minute guided group activities, higher level clicker-based questioning strategies were introduced, labs were restructured to include follow up in-class group activities, structured reading and homework exercises were added, and formative and evaluative assessments were diversified. In conclusion, we will show that introducing active learning strategies has helped meet the challenges of increasing the sophistication of students' thinking about geologic time, at the same time as increasing their satisfaction. The specific strategies should be transferrable to any course in which senior general science students learn to use the rock and fossil record to experience the ways in which geoscientists integrate geology and paleontology to interpret the Earth System's evolution.

How Students with Hearing Impairments: Can Learn and Flourish in Your Music Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Maureen

2004-01-01

Activities in music class allow students, especially students with hearing impairments, to explore new means of expression and to enhance existing ones. Additional benefits may include increases in auditory awareness, cognitive ability, attention span, memory recall, and vocabulary. Students with hearing impairments can learn and flourish in music…

Paving the Pathway: Exploring Student Perceptions of Professional Development Preparation in Doctoral Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heflinger, Craig Anne; Doykos, Bernadette

2016-01-01

The breadth of doctoral education has expanded to include professional development activities in order to prepare students for academic and nonacademic careers. This mixed methods study focused on students' perceptions of professional development opportunities at a Research One university. The findings suggest that most students feel prepared in…

Doctoral Student Learning Patterns: Learning about Active Knowledge Creation or Passive Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vekkaila, Jenna; Pyhältö, Kirsi

2016-01-01

Doctoral studies are about learning to create new knowledge and to become a researcher. Yet surprisingly little is known about the individual learning patterns of doctoral students. The study aims to explore learning patterns among natural science doctoral students. The participants included 19 doctoral students from a top-level natural science…

Improving Students' English Pronunciation Ability through Go Fish Game and Maze Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nurhayati, Dwi Astuti Wahyu

2015-01-01

The problem highlighted in this research is the low pronunciation ability of Kindergarten students in Al-Irsyad Madiun that is caused by (1) the uninteresting activities in learning English; (2) the students' difficulties of English pronunciation; (3) the students' low motivation in learning. The theoretical review includes the young learners…

Project Exchange, Proyecto Intercambio: A Guide to Exploring Hispanic and North American Cultures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez, Maria L.; Zanger, Virginia Vogel

Based on a successful high school student exchange program, a curriculum was designed to bring together Hispanic students learning English and Anglo students learning Spanish for intercultural experiences. The flexible curriculum includes over 40 activities that students can participate in while meeting together once a week for either a brief…

Mission US and Historical Empathy: A Qualitative Case Study of Sixth-Grade Students' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxlow, James Richard

2015-01-01

This study investigated the potential development and use of historical empathy in sixth-grade students while using the colonial-era historical education game "Mission US" and its associated learning activities. A collective case study was developed to describe and interpret students' experiences. The gathered data included the students'…

78 FR 63972 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Student Assistance General Provisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

... Student Assistance General Provisions establish the standards to participate in the student financial aid... the regulations also establishes required information that must be provided to students, the financial... 668.23 and 668.24 that previously were included in OMB Collection Number 1845-0038 to correct an error...

Student Employee Handbook. EP-2008-09-136-MSFC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 2007

2007-01-01

This student employee handbook offers tips on planning, design process, and presentation of a student Lunar Nautics project. Each section includes mission, task, challenge, and guide questions. With the activities presented, students will learn to design a Lunar Lander, Lunar Miner, and Lunar Base; investigate the geography and geology of the moon…

75 FR 69095 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Revision of an Existing Information Collection; Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency's, including whether the information... Status--For Academic and Language Students/ICE Form I- 20 (Students). 90,000 Certificate of 0.5 Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status--For Academic and Language Students/ICE Form I- 20 (Spouse...

Energy Lessons by Contract.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagganer, John W.

1981-01-01

An elementary activity based energy education unit which utilizes student contracts is described. Examples of the preparation involved, student involvement entailed, and examples of contracts and grading criteria are included. (DS)

Estuaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awkerman, Gary L.

This publication is designed for use in standard science curricula to develop oceanologic manifestations of certain science topics. Included are teacher guides, student activities, and demonstrations designed to impart ocean understanding to high school students. When the student has completed this unit, he should be able to: (1) define an…

Improving Pharmacy Student Communication Outcomes Using Standardized Patients.

PubMed

Gillette, Chris; Rudolph, Michael; Rockich-Winston, Nicole; Stanton, Robert; Anderson, H Glenn

2017-08-01

Objective. To examine whether standardized patient encounters led to an improvement in a student pharmacist-patient communication assessment compared to traditional active-learning activities within a classroom setting. Methods. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with second-year pharmacy students in a drug information and communication skills course. Student patient communication skills were assessed using high-stakes communication assessment. Results. Two hundred and twenty students' data were included. Students were significantly more likely to have higher scores on the communication assessment when they had higher undergraduate GPAs, were female, and taught using standardized patients. Similarly, students were significantly more likely to pass the assessment on the first attempt when they were female and when they were taught using standardized patients. Conclusion. Incorporating standardized patients within a communication course resulted in improved scores as well as first-time pass rates on a communication assessment than when using different methods of active learning.

Predictors of physical activity and barriers to exercise in nursing and medical students.

PubMed

Blake, Holly; Stanulewicz, Natalia; Mcgill, Francesca

2017-04-01

To investigate physical activity levels of nursing and medicine students, examine predictors of physical activity level and examine the most influential benefits and barriers to exercise. Healthcare professionals have low levels of physical activity, which increases their health risk and may influence their health promotion practices with patients. We surveyed 361 nursing (n = 193) and medicine (n = 168) students studying at a UK medical school. Questionnaire survey, active over 12 months in 2014-2015. Measures included physical activity level, benefits and barriers to exercise, social support, perceived stress and self-efficacy for exercise. Many nursing and medicine students did not achieve recommended levels of physical activity (nursing 48%; medicine 38%). Perceived benefits of exercise were health related, with medicine students identifying additional benefits for stress relief. Most notable barriers to exercise were as follows: lack of time, facilities having inconvenient schedules and exercise not fitting around study or placement schedules. Nursing students were less active than medicine students; they perceived fewer benefits and more barriers to exercise and reported lower social support for exercise. Physical activity of nursing and medicine students was best predicted by self-efficacy and social support, explaining 35% of the variance. Physical activity should be promoted in nursing and medicine students. Interventions should aim to build self-efficacy for exercise and increase social support. Interventions should be developed that are targeted specifically to shift-working frontline care staff, to reduce schedule-related barriers to exercise and to increase accessibility to workplace health and well-being initiatives. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Active Learning Not Associated with Student Learning in a Random Sample of College Biology Courses

PubMed Central

Andrews, T. M.; Leonard, M. J.; Colgrove, C. A.; Kalinowski, S. T.

2011-01-01

Previous research has suggested that adding active learning to traditional college science lectures substantially improves student learning. However, this research predominantly studied courses taught by science education researchers, who are likely to have exceptional teaching expertise. The present study investigated introductory biology courses randomly selected from a list of prominent colleges and universities to include instructors representing a broader population. We examined the relationship between active learning and student learning in the subject area of natural selection. We found no association between student learning gains and the use of active-learning instruction. Although active learning has the potential to substantially improve student learning, this research suggests that active learning, as used by typical college biology instructors, is not associated with greater learning gains. We contend that most instructors lack the rich and nuanced understanding of teaching and learning that science education researchers have developed. Therefore, active learning as designed and implemented by typical college biology instructors may superficially resemble active learning used by education researchers, but lacks the constructivist elements necessary for improving learning. PMID:22135373

Autonomous Learner Model Resource Book

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betts, George T.; Carey, Robin J.; Kapushion, Blanche M.

2016-01-01

"Autonomous Learner Model Resource Book" includes activities and strategies to support the development of autonomous learners. More than 40 activities are included, all geared to the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development of students. Teachers may use these activities and strategies with the entire class, small groups, or…

Modification of a School Programme in the Deutsches Museum to Enhance Students' Attitudes and Understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stavrova, Olga; Urhahne, Detlef

2010-11-01

The study examines the nature, conditions, and outcomes of student learning from an organised guided tour in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The instructional methods that best support students' cognitive and affective learning as well as how students' motivational and emotional states influence their achievement were investigated. A sample of 96 secondary school students took part in two different versions of a guided tour on an energy topic. The tours varied in the degree of support of students' active involvement, group work, and the variety of general activities offered during the tour. The data collected indicate that both tour versions led to an increase in student understanding of the visit topic to nearly the same extent. However, the version stimulating students' active participation, group work, and including a larger variety of activities aroused more positive attitudes. Students of the modified school programme showed higher interest and intrinsic motivation, felt more competent, and were less bored after the guided tour. In addition, the results suggest that students' visit-related emotional states predict the degree of their post-visit topic understanding, even when demographics and prior knowledge are taken into consideration.

Learning global health: a pilot study of an online collaborative intercultural peer group activity involving medical students in Australia and Indonesia.

PubMed

Ambrose, Mark; Murray, Linda; Handoyo, Nicholas E; Tunggal, Deif; Cooling, Nick

2017-01-13

There is limited research to inform effective pedagogies for teaching global health to undergraduate medical students. Theoretically, using a combination of teaching pedagogies typically used in 'international classrooms' may prove to be an effective way of learning global health. This pilot study aimed to explore the experiences of medical students in Australia and Indonesia who participated in a reciprocal intercultural participatory peer e-learning activity (RIPPLE) in global health. Seventy-one third year medical students (49 from Australia and 22 from Indonesia) from the University of Tasmania (Australia) and the University of Nusa Cendana (Indonesia) participated in the RIPPLE activity. Participants were randomly distributed into 11 intercultural 'virtual' groups. The groups collaborated online over two weeks to study a global health topic of their choice, and each group produced a structured research abstract. Pre- and post-RIPPLE questionnaires were used to capture students' experiences of the activity. Descriptive quantitative data were analysed with Microsoft Excel and qualitative data were thematically analysed. Students' motivation to volunteer for this activity included: curiosity about the innovative approach to learning; wanting to expand knowledge of global health; hoping to build personal and professional relationships; and a desire to be part of an intercultural experience. Afer completing the RIPPLE program, participants reported on global health knowledge acquisition, the development of peer relationships, and insight into another culture. Barriers to achieving the learning outcomes associated with RIPPLE included problems with establishing consistent online communication, and effectively managing time to simultaneously complete RIPPLE and other curricula activities. Medical students from both countries found benefits in working together in small virtual groups to complement existing teaching in global health. However, our pilot study demonstrated that while intercultural collaborative peer learning activities like RIPPLE are feasible, they require robust logistical support and an awareness of the need to manage curriculum alignment in ways that facilitate more effective student engagement.

Reaching out to students across India under IPY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, M.; Ravindra, R.

2009-04-01

India is actively involved in the scientific as well as the outreach activities related to IPY with National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Research (NCAOR) as the national coordinating agency. The purpose of the Indian IPY outreach activities is to educate general public, especially school children, about Poles & specifically about Indian scientific activities that are being carried out there. It becomes an uphill task considering the vast population & area of India. To achieve this, NCAOR in collaboration with WWF-India (World Wide Fund for Nature) is organizing various activities that include competitions such as poster & model making, stamp designing, petition writing etc. for school children. NCAOR has also supplied audio-visual & printed material on polar science for organizing exhibitions that focus on geography, environment, flora, fauna, people & importance of poles along with issues related to poles such as ozone hole, global warming etc. Moreover, a popular book entitled "Story of Antarctica" is published by NCAOR & distributed to students in different states of India. To further give impetus to our outreach efforts & to engage more students, an innovative Soccer Tournament called Sub-Zero Soccer was arranged for College students, which received very enthusiastic response. The main objective is to generate awareness among the youth by engaging them in sports and culture as this is very close to their heart and appeals to them. NCAOR also has a specific student participation program in Indian Antarctic Expeditions & students on return share their experiences with other students through lectures etc. To mark the end of IPY, a whole lot of activities are being planned for the last week of February that would include street plays, lectures, question & answer sessions etc.

Will My Fossil Float?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riesser, Sharon; Airey, Linda

1993-01-01

Explains how young students can be introduced to fossils. Suggests books to read and science activities including "Fossils to Eat" where students make fossils from peanut butter, honey, and powdered milk. (PR)

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Helping All Students Achieve 60 Minutes of Physical Activity Each Day

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliot, Eloise; Erwin, Heather; Hall, Tina; Heidorn, Brent

2013-01-01

The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance recommends that all schools implement a comprehensive school physical activity program. Physical activity is important to the overall health and well-being of everyone, including all school age children. The benefits of physical activity are well documented and include the…

Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) Brining STEM Research to 7th-12th Grade Science and Math Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2012-12-01

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 currently in its third year of partnering ten graduate students each year from the STEM fields of Geosciences, Engineering, Physics and Chemistry at MSU with five teachers from local, rural school districts. The five year project serves to enhance graduate student's communication skills as they create interactive lessons linking their STEM research focus to the state and national standards covered in science and math classrooms for grades 7-12 through inquiry experiences. Each graduate student is responsible for the development of two lessons each month of the school year that include an aspect of their STEM research, including the technologies that they may utilize to conduct their STEM research. The plans 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 and total over 300 lesson activities to date. Many of the participating teachers and graduate students share activities developed with non-participating teachers, expanding INSPIRE's outreach of incorporating STEM research into activities for K-12 students throughout the local community. Examples of STEM research connections to classroom topics related to earth and ocean science include activities using GPS with GIS for triangulation and measurement of area in geometry; biogeochemical response to oil spills compared to organism digestive system; hydrogeology water quality monitoring and GIS images used as a determinant for habitat suitability in area water; interactions of acids and bases in the Earth's environments and surfaces; and the importance of electrical circuitry in an electrode used in sediment analysis. INSPIRE is striving to create synergy with other education focused grants at MSU, including those that focus on climate literacy and Earth hazards. Graduate students create at least one lesson plan that links their STEM research to climate related topics to share in their assigned K-12 classrooms. They also assist with a science day sponsored at MSU centered on Earth hazards where local middle school students participate. In addition to the development of interactive experiences that bring current STEM research into the classroom, INSPIRE also creates and organizes inquiry activities for National GIS Day each year. Graduate students not only design the GIS explorations focused on hazards, but they also guide middle school students through these explorations. Additionally, all graduate students involved with INSPIRE are required to participate in at least one Science Fair event either at the local school level or at the regional competitions. Participating teachers have noted that several students had science fair projects that included some aspect of the STEM research topics they had learned about from the graduate students in the classroom.

World Population: Facts in Focus. World Population Data Sheet Workbook. Population Learning Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crews, Kimberly A.

This workbook teaches population analysis using world population statistics. To complete the four student activity sheets, the students refer to the included "1988 World Population Data Sheet" which lists nations' statistical data that includes population totals, projected population, birth and death rates, fertility levels, and the…

Including Students with Visual Impairments: Softball

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brian, Ali; Haegele, Justin A.

2014-01-01

Research has shown that while students with visual impairments are likely to be included in general physical education programs, they may not be as active as their typically developing peers. This article provides ideas for equipment modifications and game-like progressions for one popular physical education unit, softball. The purpose of these…

A Model for Recruiting the New Community College Student.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitt Community Coll., Greenville, NC.

This proposal represents a systematic and research-based effort to revitalize traditional recruiting practices and to establish a new recruitment model for reaching the nontraditional student in North Carolina two-year colleges. It includes activities of and findings from a model adult recruiting project. A project overview includes the objectives…

A Career Guide for Students and Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fargo Public Schools, ND.

This career planning handbook is intended to help North Dakota high school students and their parents use all available career planning activities as they determine postsecondary objectives. The document includes 12 sections as follows: (1) career direction; (2) understanding self; (3) career awareness; (4) decision making, including making one's…

Teaching through Trade Books: Design Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royce, Christine Anne

2015-01-01

This column includes activities inspired by children's literature. Through two different stories, students are introduced to the process--including the frustrations--of designing something to solve a problem. The experiences of the books' characters are brought into the classroom by having students engage in an engineering and design process. The…

Astronomy Education through the NSF GK-12 Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, A. G.

2004-05-01

The National Science Foundation's GK-12 program encourages graduate students in science to be active in public education at the middle school and high school levels. As a GK-12 fellow at the University of Colorado-Boulder (CU), I worked with a local 8th-grade science teacher and his students during the 2003-2004 school year. In the Boulder Valley School District, 8th-grade science covers Earth history, meteorology, astronomy, and oceanography. There are many special challenges for this school district and 8th-grade education in Colorado, including a large number of English as a second language (ESL) students and the administration of standardized tests during March, before students have completed much of the relevant material. As a GK-12 Fellow, my responsibilities included work with the Earth history Full Option Science System (FOSS) kit, guest lecturing, aid in hands-on exercises, and the creation of new activities and assignments. Astronomy activities accomplished through this program include sunspot viewing and a field trip to the Colorado Scale Model Solar System on the CU campus. The GK-12 program at CU will continue for at least two more years, possibly placing future GK-12 fellows who are astronomy grad students into classes that are astronomy- or physics-specific.

Predicting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition Behaviors Using Social Cognitive Theory: Cross-Sectional Survey among Undergraduate Students in Chongqing, China.

PubMed

Xu, Xianglong; Pu, Yang; Sharma, Manoj; Rao, Yunshuang; Cai, Yilin; Zhao, Yong

2017-11-05

(1) Background: Generally suggested public health measures to reduce obesity were to limit television (TV) viewing, enhance daily physical activities, enable the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and reduce sugar-sweetened beverage intake. This study analyzed the extent to which selected social cognitive theory constructs can predict these behaviors among Chinese undergraduate students. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1976 undergraduate students from six universities in Chongqing, China. A self-administered five-point Likert common physical activity and nutrition behavior scale based on social cognitive theory was utilized. (3) Results: This study included 687 (34.77%) males and 1289 (65.23%) females. A total of 60.14% of the students engaged in exercise for less than 30 min per day. Approximately 16.5%of the participants spent at least 4 h watching TV and sitting in front of a computer daily. Approximately 79% of the participants consumed less than five cups of fruit and vegetables daily. Undergraduate students who had high self-efficacy scores had more leisure time physical activities. Those who have high expectation scores had considerable time watching TV and sitting in front of a computer. Undergraduate students who had high expectation and self-efficacy scores had substantially low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Those who had high self-efficacy scores consumed considerable amounts of fruit and vegetables. Furthermore, the type of university, BMI group, gender, age, lack of siblings, and grade level were associated with the aforementioned four behaviors. (4) Conclusion: Physical inactivity and unhealthy nutrition behaviors are common among undergraduate students. This study used social cognitive theory to provide several implications for limiting the TV viewing, enhancing daily physical activities, consuming fruit and vegetables, and reducing sugar-sweetened beverage intake among undergraduate students.

Predicting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition Behaviors Using Social Cognitive Theory: Cross-Sectional Survey among Undergraduate Students in Chongqing, China

PubMed Central

Pu, Yang; Sharma, Manoj; Rao, Yunshuang; Cai, Yilin; Zhao, Yong

2017-01-01

(1) Background: Generally suggested public health measures to reduce obesity were to limit television (TV) viewing, enhance daily physical activities, enable the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and reduce sugar-sweetened beverage intake. This study analyzed the extent to which selected social cognitive theory constructs can predict these behaviors among Chinese undergraduate students. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1976 undergraduate students from six universities in Chongqing, China. A self-administered five-point Likert common physical activity and nutrition behavior scale based on social cognitive theory was utilized. (3) Results: This study included 687 (34.77%) males and 1289 (65.23%) females. A total of 60.14% of the students engaged in exercise for less than 30 min per day. Approximately 16.5% of the participants spent at least 4 h watching TV and sitting in front of a computer daily. Approximately 79% of the participants consumed less than five cups of fruit and vegetables daily. Undergraduate students who had high self-efficacy scores had more leisure time physical activities. Those who have high expectation scores had considerable time watching TV and sitting in front of a computer. Undergraduate students who had high expectation and self-efficacy scores had substantially low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Those who had high self-efficacy scores consumed considerable amounts of fruit and vegetables. Furthermore, the type of university, BMI group, gender, age, lack of siblings, and grade level were associated with the aforementioned four behaviors. (4) Conclusion: Physical inactivity and unhealthy nutrition behaviors are common among undergraduate students. This study used social cognitive theory to provide several implications for limiting the TV viewing, enhancing daily physical activities, consuming fruit and vegetables, and reducing sugar-sweetened beverage intake among undergraduate students. PMID:29113089

Intensive Training Academy During Winter Breaks (Winternships) at a Two-Year Hispanic Serving Institution to Prepare STEM Students for Summer Internships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farmer, J. C.; Sim, A. M.; Usher, T. D.

2014-12-01

College of the Desert, in partnership with California State University San Bernardino, both Hispanic serving institutions, with the support of a 3-year grant through the NASA Curriculum Improvements Partnership Award for the Integration of Research (CIPAIR) has provided training for community college students, especially those from underrepresented groups, to better prepare them for summer internships opportunities at four-year schools and national laboratories. The Winternships provided an enhanced alternative learning environment for students pursuing degrees in the STEM fields through faculty and peer mentoring in guided undergraduate research activities. All activities associated with undergraduate research were covered including literature searches, hands-on laboratory and field research, collection and analysis of data, culminating in oral and written presentations at College of the Desert and regional student conferences. In addition, students received assistance in searching for summer internships in their area of interest, completing applications, and guidance on follow-up communication with the programs to which they applied. During the funding period, 44 students participated in the Winternship activity in which all submitted a minimum of 3 applications for summer internship opportunities. Results presented will include student success at receiving summer internships, examples of projects completed during the summer and winter activities, and impact on student success. Adaption of this program to other community colleges and into a sophomore level research experience course will be described. This activity has now been funded through the NSF Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) Program for an additional five years in a partnership with California State University at San Bernardino.

Experiences of nursing students and educators during the co-construction of clinical nursing leadership learning activities: A qualitative research and development study.

PubMed

Ha, Laurence; Pepin, Jacinthe

2017-08-01

Student voice posits that students' unique perspectives on teaching and learning can be used in conjunction with those of educators to create meaningful educational activities. The study aimed to describe nursing students' and educators' experiences during the co-construction of educational activities involving clinical nursing leadership. Qualitative research and development model. The study was conducted at a French-Canadian nursing faculty that provides a 3-year undergraduate program. Five undergraduate nursing students, four nursing educators, and the principal investigator formed the co-construction team. Data collected included all documents (written and audio) related to the co-construction process: three 2-hour team meetings, PI's fieldnotes and a focus group discussion that occurred once the co-construction process was completed. Thematic analysis was performed guided by Paillé and Muchielli's (2010) method. Data analysis revealed two interrelated themes: (1) unique, purposeful collaboration and (2) change that makes a difference. A space described as safe, without hierarchy and that included the "right" people helped the team achieve their objective of creating new educational activities on clinical nursing leadership. The two new learning activities developed by the team were perceived as useful for future nursing students. At the individual level, team members appreciated how co-construction helped them understand teaching and learning from new perspectives. A structured, efficient co-construction process contributed to positive changes in the nursing program and participants. Additional research is required to enhance understanding of the factors that facilitate and hinder student-educator collaboration outside the classroom. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving student learning and views of physics in a large enrollment introductory physics class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehzadeh Einabad, Omid

Introductory physics courses often serve as gatekeepers for many scientific and engineering programs and, increasingly, colleges are relying on large, lecture formats for these courses. Many students, however, leave having learned very little physics and with poor views of the subject. In interactive engagement (IE), classroom activities encourage students to engage with each other and with physics concepts and to be actively involved in their own learning. These methods have been shown to be effective in introductory physics classes with small group recitations. This study examined student learning and views of physics in a large enrollment course that included IE methods with no separate, small-group recitations. In this study, a large, lecture-based course included activities that had students explaining their reasoning both verbally and in writing, revise their ideas about physics concepts, and apply their reasoning to various problems. The questions addressed were: (a) What do students learn about physics concepts and how does student learning in this course compare to that reported in the literature for students in a traditional course?, (b) Do students' views of physics change and how do students' views of physics compare to that reported in the literature for students in a traditional course?, and (c) Which of the instructional strategies contribute to student learning in this course? Data included: pre-post administration of the Force Concept Inventory (FCI), classroom exams during the term, pre-post administration of the Colorado Learning Attitudes About Science Survey (CLASS), and student work, interviews, and open-ended surveys. The average normalized gain (=0.32) on the FCI falls within the medium-gain range as reported in the physics education literature, even though the average pre-test score was very low (30%) and this was the instructor's first implementation of IE methods. Students' views of physics remained relatively unchanged by instruction. Findings also indicate that the interaction of the instructional strategies together contributed to student learning. Based on these results, IE methods should be adopted in introductory physics classes, particularly in classes where students have low pre-test scores. It is also important to provide support for instructors new to IE strategies.

Cross-sectional observation of the relationship of depressive symptoms with lifestyles and parents' status among Japanese junior high school students.

PubMed

Hyakutake, Aiko; Kamijo, Tomoko; Misawa, Yuka; Washizuka, Shinsuke; Inaba, Yuji; Tsukahara, Teruomi; Nomiyama, Tetsuo

2016-07-01

Students' depressive symptoms might be related to their own risk factors and to their parents' status. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship of depressive symptoms with lifestyle variables and parents' psychological and socio-demographic status among Japanese junior high school students. Of 477 students and their parents, 409 (85.7 %) students and 314 (65.8 %) parents participated in the study. Students answered self-reported questionnaire on depressive symptoms, their heights and weights, subjective stress, body dissatisfaction, lifestyles including sleep duration and extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, and nutritional intake. Parents responded to questionnaire on depressive symptoms and socio-demographic status. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 24.9 %. Students with depressive symptoms were more likely to have stress. Students in shorter and longer sleep duration groups were more likely to have depressive symptoms. The students with depressive symptoms had smaller amount of energy intake than did those without depressive symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed significant relationships between students' depressive symptoms and some independent variables. Sex, subjective stress, "almost-never"-categorized extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, and having a parent with depressive symptoms were significantly associated with students' depressive symptoms. Reducing mental stress and taking care of lifestyles, especially, "almost-everyday"-categorized extracurricular physical activity in school and other physical activity outside the school, may have benefits for students' mental health, and having a parent with depressive symptoms may be associated with students' depressive symptoms.

Guiding Curriculum Development: Student Perceptions for the Second Language Learning in Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gürleyik, Sinan; Akdemir, Elif

2018-01-01

Developing curriculum to enhance student learning is the primer purpose of all curricular activities. Availability of recent tools supporting to teach various skills including reading, listening, speaking and writing has opened a new avenue for curricular activities in technology-enhanced learning environments. Understanding the perceptions of…

Polling on a Budget: Implementing Telephone Surveys in Introductory and Advanced American Politics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Jonathan

2011-01-01

Research suggests that student learning is enhanced when students are engaged through active learning strategies. In studying public opinion and polling, challenges include the provision of meaningful active learning environments when resources are limited. In this article, I discuss the design and implementation of telephone surveys as a teaching…

Food and My World: My Health My World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tharp, Barbara; Dresden, Judith; Denk, James; Moreno, Nancy

This curriculum guide for students in grades K-4 is part of the My Health My World Series. It explores environmental issues, focusing on food and the environment. The unit includes (1) an activities guide for teachers entitled, "Food and My World," which presents activity-based lessons that entice students to discover concepts in…

State Department of Education Activities to Reduce School Violence and Vandalism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stagliano, Patricia A.; Hyman, Irwin A.

1983-01-01

Forty-two chief school officers from state departments of education provided information for this study. A table shows the kinds of activities in use in each state, including student codes, community training, surveys of school staff and students, task force reports, and legislation requiring monitoring of violence and vandalism. (PB)

The Dimensions of the Solar System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Stephen E.; Davis, Kathleen S.

2007-01-01

A few new wrinkles have been added to the popular activity of building a scale model of the solar system. Students can learn about maps and scaling using easily accessible online resources that include satellite images. This is accomplished by taking advantage of some of the special features of Google Earth. This activity gives students a much…

Archaeology. Second Teacher Edition. Grades 5-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Rebecca

This book includes a student edition by the same name and introduces students to various civilizations and their achievements. The self-directed activities emphasize higher-level thinking skills and activities keyed to "Bloom's Taxonomy." The table of contents lists: (1) "What Is Archaeology?"; (2) "What Is Culture?"; (3) "Where to Dig"; (4)…

Integrating Common Core Content into Physical Education: Creating New Knowledge Connections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scrabis-Fletcher, Kristin A.

2016-01-01

Recent trends highlight the connection between engagement in physical activity and cognitive function. This is a key point to consider when designing physical education curricula and the activities that are included. By exposing students to material in a variety of ways students' interest can be sparked, yielding greater learning and understanding…

Biology 306: Measurement and Instrumentation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmalhofer, Ed; And Others

A nine-week prerequisite course for biology students is presented in this monograph. A course outline is presented to provide the student with some idea of the topics and activities that he will encounter. A suggested pretest is included in the monograph which covers 32 objectives. Three Learning Activity Packages are presented. Package A -…

Innovative Educational Activities for Disabled and Gifted Students. Selected Projects from the Minigrant Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haim, Ytje Politiek

Described is a selection of the 1981-1985 awards given by the Foundation for Exceptional Children's Bill Geer Minigrant Award Program, which supports the creation of innovative educational activities to benefit handicapped or gifted students from preschool through secondary levels. For each grant, information provided includes: project director,…

"Sustainability on Earth" Webquests: Do They Qualify as Problem-Based Learning Activities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leite, Laurinda; Dourado, Luís; Morgado, Sofia

2015-01-01

Information and communication technologies (ICT), namely the Internet, can play a valuable educational role in several school subjects, including science education. The same applies to problem-based learning (PBL), that is, a student-centered active learning methodology that can prepare students for lifelong learning. WebQuests (WQs) combine PBL…

JMG[SM] Junior Master Gardener Handbook. Level 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

This student handbook targets children in grades 3-5 and features both group and individual activities. By completing one group and one individual activity in each section of the eighth chapter, a student can become a certified Junior Master Gardener. Contents include: (1) "Plant Growth and Development"; (2) "Soils and Water"; (3) "Ecology and…

Mathematics Beliefs, Instructional Strategies, and Algebra Achievement of Adolescent Students in Japan: Results from the TIMSS 1999 Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, J. Daniel

2006-01-01

An important area for the application of instructional design is the development of effective teaching strategies for mathematics. Activities that include the use of computers, cooperative learning, and active learning materials are associated with mathematics achievement. Student self-beliefs are also significantly related to mathematics…

The flipped exam: creating an environment in which students discover for themselves the concepts and principles we want them to learn.

PubMed

Lujan, Heidi L; DiCarlo, Stephen E

2014-12-01

Students are naturally curious and inquisitive with powerful intrinsic motives to probe, learn, and understand their world. Accordingly, class activities must capitalize on this inherently energetic and curious nature so that learning becomes a lifelong activity where students take initiative for learning, are skilled in learning, and want to learn new things. This report describes a student-centered class activity, the "flipped exam," designed to achieve this goal. The flipped exam was a collaborative, group effort, and learning was interactive. It included a significant proportion (∼30-35%) of material not covered in class. This required students to actively search for content and context, dynamically making connections between what they knew and what they learned, grappling with complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity, and finally discovering answers to important questions. Accordingly, the need or desire to know was the catalyst for meaningful learning. Student assessment was determined by behavioral noncognitive parameters that were based on the observation of the student and the student's work as well as cognitive parameters (i.e., the student's score on the examination). It is our view that the flipped exam provided a student-centered activity in which students discovered, because of the need to know and opportunities for discussion, the important concepts and principles we wanted them to learn. Copyright © 2014 The American Physiological Society.

Celebrate Your Freedom! May 1, Law Day 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaud, Mike; And Others

1997-01-01

Presents seven brief articles on legal issues concerning young people. Addresses such topics as curfews, teen smoking, dress codes, and child labor. Some articles are student-written while others profile student activity. Student authors include Mike Michaud, Danny Rosen, Carrie Kendrick, and William Hansen. (MJP)

Minimizing Teacher Stress. Structuring Positive Interactions for Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Children in Physical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colvin, Nola R.; And Others

1982-01-01

Components of an integrated physical education program, which consists of handicapped and nonhandicapped students, include: (1) activities that promote interaction among all students; (2) strategies that place handicapped and nonhandicapped students together; and (3) reinforcement of cooperative behavior. (CJ)

Upcycle!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowers, Jim; Gorski, Alecia

2017-01-01

Whether you teach elementary school students, secondary school students, or college students, you can include upcycling activities in your class to promote both design skills and an environmental ethic. This article shares how a teacher at one school is doing just this, providing suggestions for those who have different material processing…

How to Motivate Your Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girmus, Ronald L.

2012-01-01

Student motivation is critical for learning. Psychological and neuroscientific evidence demonstrate that motivation and cognition are inextricably linked. In field research, 660 k-12 teachers were surveyed to self-identify the most successful strategies and activities they used to motivate students. A literature review that included 190 education…

Creating Critical Thinkers, Not Parrots: One Teacher's Hope.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etchison, Craig

1991-01-01

The art of effective college teaching in any discipline should focus on creating critical thinkers. The teacher's role in this endeavor includes encouraging students, accepting student views different from his own, promoting active intellectual participation by students, and continually rethinking and revising syllabi. (MSE)

Behavior Risk Factors Among Russian Students.

PubMed

Anischenko, Aleksander; Arhangelskaya, Anna; Klenov, Michael; Burdukova, Ekaterina; Ogarev, Valrii; Ignatov, Nikolay; Osadchenko, Irina; Gurevich, Konstantin

2017-01-01

Purpose To analyze the prevalence of risk factors among Russian students. Methods In this study, 834 students were included from five Federal universities which were localized in four Federal regions of Russian Federation. Future doctors, school teachers, and wellness trainers were included in this study. Students were specifically asked about smoking, physical activity International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and food preference. Waist, hip, weight, and height were measured. Results The region of study and ethnic group were not influenced with respect to age and body mass index ( p > .1), while all other factors had a significant influence ( p < .05). High levels of smoking, hypodynamia, and motivation to intake of unhealthy food were found in medical students in comparison with those in future teachers and wellness instructors ( p < .05). The indicators of central obesity (due to levels of body mass index and waist-hip ratio) were found in medical students. Perspective Special programs to prevent the most common behavior risk factors in future medical doctors have to be designed.

Exercise and academic performance among nursing and kinesiology students at US colleges.

PubMed

Bellar, David; Judge, Lawrence W; Petersen, Jeffrey; Bellar, Ann; Bryan, Charity L

2014-01-01

Lack of physical activity is a contributor to the obesity epidemic and is speculated to relate to reduced academic performance; however, this link has yet to be examined within the college population. The purpose of this study in a group of undergraduate students, was to determine if aerobic exercise activity was related to academic performance. The participants for this study included 740 students at multiple universities enrolled in nursing and kinesiology studies. The participants completed the Leisure and Physical Activity Questionnaire. Pearson's χ(2) analysis revealed differences in grade point average with aerobic activity (χ(2) = 44.29, P ≤ 0.001) as well as a trend toward differences in grade point average with weightlifting activity (χ(2) = 22.69, P = 0.61). Based on these findings it can be suggested that college students engage in greater aerobic exercise.

The Musician as (In)Active Athlete?: Exploring the Association Between Physical Activity and Musculoskeletal Complaints in Music Students.

PubMed

Baadjou, Vera A E; Verbunt, Jeanine A M C F; van Eijsden-Besseling, Marjon D F; Huysmans, Stephanie M D; Smeets, Rob J E M

2015-12-01

Musicians are often compared to athletes because of the physical exertion required to play music. The aim of this study was to explore the physical activity level of music students and to study its relationship with musculoskeletal complaints. A second goal was to assess associations between physical activity and pain, quality of life, and disability. This cross-sectional study among third- and fourth-year music students used an electronic survey including measures for physical activity (SQUASH-Short Questionnaire to Assess Health-enhancing physical activity), musculoskeletal complaints (DMQ-Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire), disability (DASH-Disability Arm, Shoulder, Hand questionnaire) and quality of life (Short Form-12). Students were classified as compliers or non-compliers with moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity recommendations. Statistical analysis was done using (non)parametric tests (t-test, Pearson chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U-test) and correlational testing. Participants were 132 students, 63.6% female, with a median age of 23 yrs (range 21.3-25.0). 67% reported musculoskeletal complaints in the past 7 days. Their median physical activity level was 6,390 MET-min/wk, and 62% and 10% of the students accomplished recommendations for moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity physical activity levels, respectively. No significant differences were found in prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints between students who met moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity recommendations and students who did not. Physical activity level was not associated with musculoskeletal complaints (r=0.12, p=0.26). Higher pain intensity was associated with a lower quality of life (r=-0.53 p<0.01) and higher disability (r=0.43, p<0.01). Music students are mainly involved in light- to moderate-intensity physical activities and rarely in vigorous-intensity activities. No correlation was found between physical activity level in the past months and musculoskeletal complaints in music students.

Vigorous physical activity, mental health, perceived stress, and socializing among college students.

PubMed

Vankim, Nicole A; Nelson, Toben F

2013-01-01

To examine cross-sectional associations between vigorous physical activity, mental health, perceived stress, and socializing among 4-year college students. A national cross-sectional sample of 4-year colleges in the United States. Ninety-four 4-year colleges in the United States. A total of 14,804 undergraduate students. Self-report vigorous physical activity, perceived stress (measured using the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale), mental health (measured using the SF-36), and socializing (assessed using self-report number of friends and hours spent socializing). Logistic regression models accounting for clustering within schools were estimated to examine the association between vigorous physical activity, mental health, perceived stress, and socializing. Adjusted models included high school vigorous physical activity and sociodemographic characteristics. Students who met vigorous physical activity recommendations were less likely to report poor mental health (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: .79; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .69, .90) and perceived stress (adjusted OR: .75; 95% CI: .67, .83) than students who did not meet recommendations. In addition, socializing partially mediated the relationship between vigorous physical activity, mental health, and perceived stress; however, race and sex did not moderate the relationship. Interventions aiming to improve mental well-being of college students should also consider promoting physical activity. At least some of the positive benefits of physical activity may arise from social interactions.

Feasibility online survey to estimate physical activity level among the students studying professional courses: a cross-sectional online survey

PubMed Central

Sudha, Bhumika; Samuel, Asir John; Narkeesh, Kanimozhi

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was to estimate the physical activity (PA) level among the professional college students in North India. One hundred three professional college students in the age group of 18–25 years were recruited by simple random sampling for this cross-sectional online survey. The survey was advertised on the social networking sites (Facebook, WhatsApp) through a link www.surveymonkey.com/r/MG-588BY. A Short Form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used for this survey study. The questionnaire included total 8 questions on the basis of previous 7 days. The questionnaire consists of 3 main categories which were vigorous, moderate and high PA. Time spent in each activity level was multiplied with the metabolic equivalent of task (MET), which has previously set to 8.0 for vigorous activity, 4.0 for moderate activity, 3.3 for walking, and 1.5 for sitting. By multiplying MET with number of days and minutes performed weekly, amount of each activity level was calculated and measured as MET-min/wk. Further by adding MET minutes for each activity level, total MET-min/wk was calculated. Total number of 100 students participated in this study, and it was shown that all professional course students show different levels in PA. The total PA level among professional college students, which includes, physiotherapy, dental, medical, nursing, lab technician, pharmacy, management, law, engineering, were 434.4 (0–7,866), 170.3 (0–1,129), 87.7 (0–445), 102.8 (0–180), 469 (0–1,164), 0 (0–0), 645 (0–1,836), 337 (0–1,890), 396 (0–968) MET-min/wk respectively. PA levels among professional college students in North India have been established. PMID:29511653

Magnetic therapy in physics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welsh, Gail S.

2000-03-01

A critical thinking activity focused on students' understanding of magnets is described. The activity includes a short written paper about the validity of advertisements for alternative medical therapy devices based on magnets. It includes also self assessment through peer interaction.

Observations of Undergraduate Geoscience Instruction in the US: Measuring Student Centered Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teasdale, R.; Manduca, C. A.; Mcconnell, D. A.; Bartley, J. K.; Bruckner, M. Z.; Farthing, D.; Iverson, E. A. R.; Viskupic, K. M.

2014-12-01

The Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP; Swada, et al., 2002) has been used by a trained team of On the Cutting Edge (CE) observers to characterize the degree of student-centered teaching in US college and university geoscience classrooms. Total RTOP scores are derived from scores on 25 rubric items used to characterize teaching practices in categories of lesson design, content delivery, student-instructor and student-student interactions. More than 200 classroom observations have been completed by the RTOP team in undergraduate courses at a variety of US institution types (e.g., community colleges, research universities). A balanced mix of early career, mid-career, and veteran faculty are included, and the study examines class sizes ranging from small (<30) to large (>80 students). Observations are limited to one class session and do not include laboratories or field activities. Data include RTOP scores determined by a trained observer during the classroom observation and an online survey in which the observed instructors report on their teaching practices. RTOP scores indicate that the observed geoscience classes feature varying degrees of student-centered teaching, with 30% of observed classes categorized as teacher-centered (RTOP scores ≤30), 45% of observed classes categorized as transitional classrooms (RTOP scores 31-49) and 25% are student-centered (RTOP scores ≥ 50). Instructor self-report survey data and RTOP scores indicate that geoscience faculty who have participated in one or more CE professional development event and use the CE website have an average RTOP score of 49, which is significantly higher (> 15 points) than the average score of faculty who have not participated in CE events and have not used the website. Approximately 60% of student-centered classes (those with high RTOP scores) use some traditional lecture nearly every day, but are also are likely to include an in-class activity or group discussion (e.g. Think-Pair-Share). More than 50% of instructors in student-centered classes report spending 30% or less of their class time on such activities (e.g. ≤ 15 minutes of a 50 minute class period), indicating that a relatively small investment can yield important impacts in engaging undergraduate geoscience students.

Teaching nursing concepts through an online discussion board.

PubMed

Hudson, Kandi Ann

2014-09-01

Barriers to course content engagement and student learning in nursing education abound. Some of these barriers include content overload, classroom time constraints, and large student numbers. One way to overcome these issues is the implementation of active learning strategies in the classroom. Despite the positive learning outcomes associated with active learning strategies described in the education literature, traditional passive learning strategies continue to be used by nurse educators in the classroom. This article details the results of a pilot study using an active teaching strategy—an online discussion board—which was designed to improve the learning engagement of beginning nursing students enrolled in their first face-to-face nursing course. The results of the semester-long pilot study indicated a favorable student response to the active teaching strategy and improved overall success in the course by the students who participated fully in the online discussions.

Human Brains Engaged in Rat Brains: Student-driven Neuroanatomy Research in an Introductory Biology Lab Course.

PubMed

Gardner, Stephanie M; Adedokun, Omolola A; Weaver, Gabriela C; Bartlett, Edward L

2011-01-01

Inquiry-based laboratory instruction has been shown to actively engage students in the content and skills being taught. These courses are further intended to teach students not only what is known, but also the process by which investigators come to know it. We sought to take this approach one step further and incorporate novel research questions into an inquiry-based laboratory model early in the undergraduate course of study. In this research-based introductory laboratory course, first-year students acquired basic lab skills not just for their own sake, but rather within the context of a research question of a member of the faculty. Student projects investigated potential neuroanatomical changes in animal models of dyslexia and aging and included measurements of neuron numbers and levels and distribution of neuronal proteins. Students played an active role in designing and implementing an experimental plan, explored data analysis techniques, and reflected on the results that they obtained in scholarly forms such as research papers and a departmental poster session. Student feedback on this approach has been extremely positive, and the data collected were research quality preliminary data that are being actively pursued for further study. Based on our encouraging experiences, we conclude that designing an introductory course around novel research, including some assessments modeled after scholarly practices, provides motivation and excitement for the students, instills good scientific habits, and can potentially benefit departmental research.

Advancing Successful Physics Majors - The Physics First Year Seminar Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deibel, Jason; Petkie, Douglas

In 2012, the Wright State University physics curriculum introduced a new year-long seminar course required for all new physics majors. The goal of this course is to improve student retention and success via building a community of physics majors and provide them with the skills, mindset, and advising necessary to successfully complete a degree and transition to the next part of their careers. This new course sequence assembles a new cohort of majors annually. To prepare each cohort, students engage in a variety of activities that span from student success skills to more specific physics content while building an entrepreneurial mindset. Students participate in activities including study skills, career night, course planning, campus services, and a department social function. More importantly, students gain exposure to programming, literature searches, data analysis, technical writing, elevator pitches, and experimental design via hands-on projects. This includes the students proposing, designing, and conducting their own experiments. Preliminary evidence indicates increased retention, student success, and an enhanced sense of community among physics undergraduate students, The overall number of majors and students eventually completing their physics degrees has nearly tripled. Associate Professor, Department of Physics.

Medical Student Perspectives of Active Learning: A Focus Group Study.

PubMed

Walling, Anne; Istas, Kathryn; Bonaminio, Giulia A; Paolo, Anthony M; Fontes, Joseph D; Davis, Nancy; Berardo, Benito A

2017-01-01

Phenomenon: Medical student perspectives were sought about active learning, including concerns, challenges, perceived advantages and disadvantages, and appropriate role in the educational process. Focus groups were conducted with students from all years and campuses of a large U.S. state medical school. Students had considerable experience with active learning prior to medical school and conveyed accurate understanding of the concept and its major strategies. They appreciated the potential of active learning to deepen and broaden learning and its value for long-term professional development but had significant concerns about the efficiency of the process, the clarity of expectations provided, and the importance of receiving preparatory materials. Most significantly, active learning experiences were perceived as disconnected from grading and even as impeding preparation for school and national examinations. Insights: Medical students understand the concepts of active learning and have considerable experience in several formats prior to medical school. They are generally supportive of active learning concepts but frustrated by perceived inefficiencies and lack of contribution to the urgencies of achieving optimal grades and passing United States Medical Licensing Examinations, especially Step 1.

Acceptance of Clickers in a Large Multimodal Biochemistry Class as Determined by Student Evaluations of Teaching: Are They Just an Annoying Distraction for Distance Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Nathan. G.; Soares da Costa, Tatiana P.

2016-01-01

A student response system (clickers) was introduced into a second year introductory biochemistry class to improve student engagement and performance. The class was delivered in both internal and distance education (DE) modes, with the DE students receiving recordings of the lectures (including clicker activities). However, there was concern over…

College Student Unions: What Professionals Are Doing to Assess Learning Outcomes for Student Program Board Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Toole-Curran, Janette J.

2015-01-01

The descriptive survey employed in this study explored current assessment practices of learning outcomes, including the resources used and the learning outcomes assessed for student programming board leaders. The researcher collected data through document review and phone interviews. She interviewed 21 student activities and union advisors who are…

The Active Classroom: Supporting Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder through Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulrine, Christopher F.; Prater, Mary Anne; Jenkins, Amelia

2008-01-01

Teachers face many challenges in their daily effort to meet the needs of and ensure success for a diverse group of students, including students who are inattentive and have trouble staying focused and on task. All students, especially those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), need exercise; it assists them with concentration and…

Harnessing Students' Interest in Physics with Their Own Video Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Like, Christopher

2011-01-01

Many physics teachers assign projects where students are asked to measure real-world motion. One purpose of this student-centered activity is to cultivate the relevance of physics in their lives. Typical project topics may include measuring the speed of a student's fastball and calculating how much reaction time batters are given. Another student…

Aftermath of a Crisis: How Colleges Respond to Prospective Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelsay, Lisa S.

2007-01-01

Throughout the country and through the years, several colleges and universities have been the focal point of violence and tragedy. These tragedies include the brutal beating and murder of a gay student; a campus bonfire that killed 12 students and alumni; a residence hall fire that claimed the lives of three students; terrorist activities in two…

What Happens outside of the College Class(ed)room? Examining College Students' Social Class and Social Integration in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soria, Krista M.

2013-01-01

This study examined the relationships between undergraduate students' social class background and variables theorized to affect students' social integration in higher education, including students' perception of campus climate, frequency of faculty interactions, frequency of involvement in campus activities, and sense of belonging.…

Student perception of group dynamics predicts individual performance: Comfort and equity matter

PubMed Central

Theobald, Elli J.; Eddy, Sarah L.; Grunspan, Daniel Z.; Wiggins, Benjamin L.

2017-01-01

Active learning in college classes and participation in the workforce frequently hinge on small group work. However, group dynamics vary, ranging from equitable collaboration to dysfunctional groups dominated by one individual. To explore how group dynamics impact student learning, we asked students in a large-enrollment university biology class to self-report their experience during in-class group work. Specifically, we asked students whether there was a friend in their group, whether they were comfortable in their group, and whether someone dominated their group. Surveys were administered after students participated in two different types of intentionally constructed group activities: 1) a loosely-structured activity wherein students worked together for an entire class period (termed the ‘single-group’ activity), or 2) a highly-structured ‘jigsaw’ activity wherein students first independently mastered different subtopics, then formed new groups to peer-teach their respective subtopics. We measured content mastery by the change in score on identical pre-/post-tests. We then investigated whether activity type or student demographics predicted the likelihood of reporting working with a dominator, being comfortable in their group, or working with a friend. We found that students who more strongly agreed that they worked with a dominator were 17.8% less likely to answer an additional question correct on the 8-question post-test. Similarly, when students were comfortable in their group, content mastery increased by 27.5%. Working with a friend was the single biggest predictor of student comfort, although working with a friend did not impact performance. Finally, we found that students were 67% less likely to agree that someone dominated their group during the jigsaw activities than during the single group activities. We conclude that group activities that rely on positive interdependence, and include turn-taking and have explicit prompts for students to explain their reasoning, such as our jigsaw, can help reduce the negative impact of inequitable groups. PMID:28727749

An Elective Course on Antimicrobial Stewardship.

PubMed

Gauthier, Timothy P; Sherman, Elizabeth M; Unger, Nathan R

2015-12-25

To implement an antimicrobial stewardship (AS) elective course for second-year and third-year pharmacy students and to assess its impact on students' perceptions regarding the application of AS principles. A 2-credit elective course focusing on principles of AS incorporated prelecture didactic recordings with primary literature and guideline-based reading assignments, in-class active-learning group work and student-led presentations, and student-generated examination items. Perceptions were assessed by precourse and postcourse survey items. Graded course assessments included completion of preclass assignments (readings, prerecorded lecture and writing assessment items), in-class active participation and group presentations, a midpoint examination, and a final examination. An AS-themed elective course in a doctor of pharmacy curriculum incorporating preclass, self-directed learning and in-class group-based active-learning strategies positively impacted students' perceived understanding of AS strategies.

University Students as Leaders for Field Trips.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Jack L.; Troxel, Verne A.

1979-01-01

Describes a laboratory school environmental science program that utilizes university students of all majors to develop and teach lessons for field trips. Activities include water analysis and stream gradient determination. (MA)

Apple Browning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemecology, 1992

1992-01-01

Describes an activity in which students investigate the effects of selected natural and synthetic substances on the rate of apple browning. Includes background information for the teacher, a list of necessary materials, and student instructions. (KR)

Student knowledge and confidence in an elective clinical toxicology course using active-learning techniques.

PubMed

Thomas, Michael C; Macias-Moriarity, Liliairica Z

2014-06-17

To measure changes in students' knowledge and confidence scores after completing an elective clinical toxicology course in an accelerated doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Various active-learning techniques were used to create a learner-centered environment. Approximately two-thirds of the course used student-led presentations. Some of those not presenting were assigned to be evaluators, responsible for asking the presenter a question or writing quiz questions based on the presented material. Other learner-centered activities included weekly quizzes and discussions at the conclusion of each presented topic. A test instrument designed to measure students' knowledge and associated level of confidence on each item was administered at the beginning and end of the course. Students' knowledge and confidence scores increased significantly from pretest to posttest. Students' increased confidence and knowledge scores were well correlated after course completion, indicating students were better able to self-assess these areas. These findings suggest that confidence could be an additional measure of students' metacognitive skill development.

Developing research competencies through a project-based tissue-engineering module in the biomedical engineering undergraduate curriculum.

PubMed

Wallen, M; Pandit, A

2009-05-01

In addressing the task of developing an undergraduate module in the field of tissue engineering, the greatest challenge lies in managing to capture what is a growing and rapidly changing field. Acknowledging the call for the development of greater critical thinking and interpersonal skills among the next generation of engineers as well as encouraging students to engage actively with the dynamic nature of research in the field, the module was developed to include both project-based and cooperative-learning experiences. These learning activities include developing hypotheses for the application of newly introduced laboratory procedures, a collaborative mock grant submission, and debates on ethical issues in which students are assigned roles as various stakeholders. Feedback from module evaluations has indicated that, while students find the expectations challenging, they are able to gain an advanced insight into a dynamic field. More importantly, students develop research competencies by engaging in activities that require them to link current research directions with their own development of hypotheses for future tissue-engineering applications.

Satellite Power System (SPS) student participation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ladwig, A.; David, L.

1978-01-01

A assessment of methods which are appropriate to initiate student participation in the discussion of a satellite power system (SPS) is presented. Methods which are incorporated into the campus environment and the on-going learning experience are reported. The discussion of individual methods for student participation includes a description of the technique, followed by comments on its enhancing and limiting factors, references to situations where the method has been demonstrated, and a brief consideration of cost factors. The two categories of recommendations presented are: an outline of fourteen recommendations addressing specific activities related to student participation in the discussion of SPS, and three recommendations pertaining to student participation activities in general.

A proposal for undergraduate students' inclusion in brain awareness week: promoting interest in curricular neuroscience components.

PubMed

Martins, Alexandre; Mello-Carpes, Pâmela Billig

2014-01-01

Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of neuroscience and the progress and benefits of brain research. Our proposal was to include undergraduate physiology students in the organization and presentation of BAW activities. In this sense, we proposed the BAW as a neurophysiology teaching strategy. BAW 2013 occurred between March 11-17, and physiology students in the Nursing, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy programs of our university were involved in the organization of and participation in the activities. To evaluate student perceptions of their participation, a questionnaire was used to establish whether their involvement increased their interest in physiology/neuroscience. Our results indicated that this strategy was successful and increased the students' interest in neuroscience and physiology. In addition a survey of undergraduate and graduate students participating in BAW established their interest in the various activities available. The attention and reaction time workshop and the neuroanatomy workshop were the most popular of the eight activities available.

Case study of a problem-based learning course of physics in a telecommunications engineering degree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macho-Stadler, Erica; Jesús Elejalde-García, Maria

2013-08-01

Active learning methods can be appropriate in engineering, as their methodology promotes meta-cognition, independent learning and problem-solving skills. Problem-based learning is the educational process by which problem-solving activities and instructor's guidance facilitate learning. Its key characteristic involves posing a 'concrete problem' to initiate the learning process, generally implemented by small groups of students. Many universities have developed and used active methodologies successfully in the teaching-learning process. During the past few years, the University of the Basque Country has promoted the use of active methodologies through several teacher training programmes. In this paper, we describe and analyse the results of the educational experience using the problem-based learning (PBL) method in a physics course for undergraduates enrolled in the technical telecommunications engineering degree programme. From an instructors' perspective, PBL strengths include better student attitude in class and increased instructor-student and student-student interactions. The students emphasised developing teamwork and communication skills in a good learning atmosphere as positive aspects.

Case-study experiments in the introductory physics curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arion, D. N.; Crosby, K. M.; Murphy, E. A.

2000-09-01

Carthage College added inquiry-based case study activities to the traditional introductory physics laboratory. Student teams designed, constructed, and executed their own experiments to study real-world phenomena, through which they gained understanding both of physic principles and methods of physics research. Assessment results and student feedback through teacher evaluations indicate that these activities improved student attitudes about physics as well as their ability to solve physics problems relative to previous course offerings that did not include case study.

Does doctors’ workload impact supervision and ward activities of final-year students? A prospective study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Hospital doctors face constantly increasing workloads. Besides caring for patients, their duties also comprise the education of future colleagues. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate whether the workload arising from increased patient care interferes with student supervision and is associated with more non-medical activities of final-year medical students. Methods A total of 54 final-year students were asked to keep a diary of their daily activities over a three-week period at the beginning of their internship in Internal Medicine. Students categorized their activities – both medical and non-medical - according to whether they had: (1) only watched, (2) assisted the ward resident, (3) performed the activity themselves under supervision of the ward resident, or (4) performed the activity without supervision. The activities reported on a particular day were matched with a ward specific workload-index derived from the hospital information system, including the number of patients treated on the corresponding ward on that day, a correction factor according to the patient comorbidity complexity level (PCCL), and the number of admissions and discharges. Both students and ward residents were blinded to the study question. Results A total of 32 diaries (59 %, 442 recorded working days) were handed back. Overall, the students reported 1.2 ± 1.3 supervised, 1.8 ±1.6 medical and 3.6 ± 1.7 non-medical activities per day. The more supervised activities were reported, the more the number of reported medical activities increased (p < .0001). No relationship between the ward specific workload and number of medical activities could be shown. Conclusions There was a significant association between ward doctors’ supervision of students and the number of medical activities performed by medical students. The workload had no significant effect on supervision or the number of medical or non-medical activities of final-year students. PMID:22540897

Does doctors' workload impact supervision and ward activities of final-year students? A prospective study.

PubMed

Celebi, Nora; Tsouraki, Rodoula; Engel, Corinna; Holderried, Friederike; Riessen, Reimer; Weyrich, Peter

2012-06-11

Hospital doctors face constantly increasing workloads. Besides caring for patients, their duties also comprise the education of future colleagues. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate whether the workload arising from increased patient care interferes with student supervision and is associated with more non-medical activities of final-year medical students. A total of 54 final-year students were asked to keep a diary of their daily activities over a three-week period at the beginning of their internship in Internal Medicine. Students categorized their activities--both medical and non-medical--according to whether they had: (1) only watched, (2) assisted the ward resident, (3) performed the activity themselves under supervision of the ward resident, or (4) performed the activity without supervision. The activities reported on a particular day were matched with a ward specific workload-index derived from the hospital information system, including the number of patients treated on the corresponding ward on that day, a correction factor according to the patient comorbidity complexity level (PCCL), and the number of admissions and discharges. Both students and ward residents were blinded to the study question. A total of 32 diaries (59 %, 442 recorded working days) were handed back. Overall, the students reported 1.2 ± 1.3 supervised, 1.8 ± 1.6 medical and 3.6 ± 1.7 non-medical activities per day. The more supervised activities were reported, the more the number of reported medical activities increased (p < .0001). No relationship between the ward specific workload and number of medical activities could be shown. There was a significant association between ward doctors' supervision of students and the number of medical activities performed by medical students. The workload had no significant effect on supervision or the number of medical or non-medical activities of final-year students.

34 CFR 675.18 - Use of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... and supplemental FWS allocations for the current award year to pay student wages earned on or after... students employed in community service activities. In meeting this community service requirement, an institution must include at least one— (i) Reading tutoring project that employs one or more FWS students as...

Letting Your Students "Fly" in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Thomas

1997-01-01

Students investigate the concept of motion by making simple paper airplanes and flying them in the classroom. Students are introduced to conversion factors to calculate various speeds. Additional activities include rounding decimal numbers, estimating, finding averages, making bar graphs, and solving problems. Offers ideas for extension such as…

How Do Primary School Students Acquire the Skill of Making Hypothesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darus, Faridah Binti; Saat, Rohaida Mohd

2014-01-01

Science education in Malaysia emphasizes three components: namely knowledge, scientific skills which include science process skills and manipulative skills; scientific attitudes; and noble values. The science process skills are important in enhancing students' cognitive development and also to facilitate students' active participation during the…

Internationalizing Your School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergman, Don; Young, Stuart

1989-01-01

To become responsible citizens, students need to assume a global perspective. Activities to initiate a sense of world-mindedness include having students participate in a Model United Nations Program or in the 1,000 Cranes Club, arranging overnight visits between students from different schools and cultural backgrounds, and establishing pen pal…

Camouflage, Color Schemes, and Cubism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guhin, Paula

2002-01-01

Presents an art activity where students learn about Cubism and color mixing. Explains that the students create camouflaged animals after learning about the work, "Female Torso" (Pablo Picasso). Includes directions for how to create the pictures and states that the assignment can be used with students of all ages. (CMK)

Insect-ual Pursuits.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallow, David

1991-01-01

Explains how insects can be used to stimulate student writing. Describes how students can create their own systems to classify and differentiate insects. Discusses insect morphology and includes three detailed diagrams. The author provides an extension activity where students hypothesize about the niche of an insect based on its anatomy. (PR)

Marine Biological Field Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awkerman, Gary L.

This publication is designed for use in a standard science curricula to develop oceanologic manifestations of certain science topics. Included are teacher guides, student activities, and demonstrations designed to impart ocean science understanding to high school students. It could be a useful instructional tool for any high school student field…

Freedom of Religion and the Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Mary Louise

1991-01-01

Presents activities for teaching high school students about the freedom of religion. Includes student handouts that explain basic constitutional principles and summarize leading U.S. Supreme Court cases concerning religious liberty. Encourages teachers to invite students to speculate on the future relationship of religion and public education. (SG)

Returning Fourth-Year Students to the Classroom/Laboratory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markert, Ronald J.; Ogilvie, Charles D.

1980-01-01

The Eighth Semester Program of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine reintroduces classroom-laboratory activities into the medical students' clinical years in an attempt to "round out" students' education. Topics include development of a medical practice, government and the physician, counseling skills, and nutrition inpatient care.…

How Dollars Make Cents. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Auman, L. Charles

This unit provides secondary school students with methods for comparison shopping of savings institutions. It contains both student materials and teacher's guide and is designed for individualized instruction. Approximate time for the unit is six hours. Activities include analyzing cartoons, defining the terms "savings" and…

GED Math for Workplace Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goschen, Claire

This curriculum module contains lesson plans and application activities that were developed to help adult students master the mathematics skills needed to earn a general high school equivalency diploma. Included in the module are materials designed to help students improve their understanding of mathematics and achieve the following objectives:…

Effects of inflammatory bowel disease on students' adjustment to college.

PubMed

Almadani, S Bashar; Adler, Jeremy; Browning, Jeff; Green, Elan H; Helvie, Karla; Rizk, Rafat S; Zimmermann, Ellen M

2014-12-01

Successful adjustment to college is required for academic success. We investigated whether inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity affects this adjustment process. We created an online survey that included a Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ), a general quality of life survey (SF-12), a disease-specific short IBD quality of life survey (SIBDQ), and disease activity indices. Undergraduate students across the United States were recruited via social media. Surveys were completed by 65 students with Crohn's disease (CD), 28 with ulcerative colitis, and 214 healthy students (controls). Disease-specific quality of life (SIBDQ results) correlated with IBD disease activity (rho = -0.79; P < .0001). High college adjustment scores (SACQ results) were associated with high SIBDQ scores. Students with IBD had lower mean SACQ scores than controls (307 vs 290; P < .0001). There was a modest inverse correlation between CD activity and SACQ (rho = -0.24; P < .04). Disease activity in students with CD was associated strongly with their self-reported ability to keep up with academic work (P < .0089) and confidence in their ability to meet future academic challenges (P < .0015). Students with active IBD reported feeling as if they were not academically successful (P < .018), and students with ulcerative colitis reported irregular class attendance (P < .043). Students with IBD do not adjust to college as well as healthy students. Disease activity affects their adjustment and attitudes about academics-especially among students with CD. Successful adjustment is important for academic success, affecting graduation rates and future economic success. Strategies to increase disease control and provide social and emotional support during college could improve adjustment to college and academic performance, and increase patients' potential. Copyright © 2014 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lack of facilities rather than sociocultural factors as the primary barrier to physical activity among female Saudi university students.

PubMed

Samara, Anastasia; Nistrup, Anne; Al-Rammah, Tamader Y; Aro, Arja R

2015-01-01

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is experiencing a dramatic increase in physical inactivity, with women having higher levels of inactivity than men among all age groups. It is assumed that factors such as dress codes, restrictions on going outdoors, and conservative norms are the main reasons for women's low physical activity. Our aim was to explore the different parameters related to physical activity, including self-efficacy, as well as the perceived barriers to and benefits of physical activity in young Saudi females. Ninety-four first-year female Saudi university students in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, participated in the present study in 2014. The students were from eight bachelor's programs in health and well-being, and each completed a questionnaire with questions divided into five parts as follows: 1) socioeconomic status, 2) physical activity, 3) self-efficacy 4) social factors, and 5) barriers and facilitators related to physical activity. The students exercised at home and alone, and there was low self-efficacy for physical activity (mean score =42±14). Among social factors, attending university was the only factor that hindered physical activity (32%). Physical activity was positively perceived overall (mean score =131±10). Students showed awareness of the benefits of physical activity for health and well-being. The most important barrier was the lack of designated areas available for physical activity. Students disagreed that family or the Islamic community were barriers to physical activity. The lack of facilities and lack of encouragement from the university, but not a lack of knowledge (a high level of knowledge is to be expected given their health and well-being studies backgrounds) and/or restrictions from families and society, seem to hinder female students' physical activity, at least young Saudi students.

Using assistive technology adaptations to include students with learning disabilities in cooperative learning activities.

PubMed

Bryant, D P; Bryant, B R

1998-01-01

Cooperative learning (CL) is a common instructional arrangement that is used by classroom teachers to foster academic achievement and social acceptance of students with and without learning disabilities. Cooperative learning is appealing to classroom teachers because it can provide an opportunity for more instruction and feedback by peers than can be provided by teachers to individual students who require extra assistance. Recent studies suggest that students with LD may need adaptations during cooperative learning activities. The use of assistive technology adaptations may be necessary to help some students with LD compensate for their specific learning difficulties so that they can engage more readily in cooperative learning activities. A process for integrating technology adaptations into cooperative learning activities is discussed in terms of three components: selecting adaptations, monitoring the use of the adaptations during cooperative learning activities, and evaluating the adaptations' effectiveness. The article concludes with comments regarding barriers to and support systems for technology integration, technology and effective instructional practices, and the need to consider technology adaptations for students who have learning disabilities.

High School Teaching and College Performance: Looking for Connections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tai, Robert H.

2006-12-01

How much impact does high school have on college? Are decisions about classroom activities and student work in high school physics associated with student performance in college physics? In our paper, we look at several aspects of high school physics including laboratory experiences, homework activities, and classroom activities and their association with college physics grades. Our results revisit in greater depth and earlier analysis carried out a decade earlier.

Starchild Presents...StarChild: A Learning Center for Young Astronomers. Black Holes. An Information and Activity Booklet. Grades K-8, 1998-1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truelove, Elizabeth; Dejoie, Joyce

The information provided in this booklet is meant to give the necessary background information so that the science of black holes can be taught confidently to elementary students. The featured activities can be used to engage and excite students about the topic of black holes in different disciplines and in a number of ways. Activities include:…

Kinesthetic Activities for the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mylott, Elliot; Dunlap, Justin; Lampert, Lester; Widenhorn, Ralf

2014-12-01

Educators have found that kinesthetic involvement in an experiment or demonstration can engage students in a powerful way.1-3 With that as our goal, we developed three activities that allow students to connect with and quantitatively explore key physics principles from mechanics with three fun physical challenges. By presenting these activities as competitions, we can challenge students to use what they know about the relevant physics to improve their performance and beat their own score or those of other students. Each activity uses an original, real-time data collecting program that offers students and educators a simple, clear method to demonstrate various physics concepts including: (1) impulse momentum, (2) center of mass (COM), and (3) kinematics. The user interface, written in LabVIEW, is intuitive to operate and only requires Vernier Force Plates,4 a Vernier LabQuest,5 a webcam, and a computer. In this article, we will describe each of these activities, all of which are well suited and readily available for other outreach events or classroom demonstrations.

Teaching Aerobic Fitness Concepts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sander, Allan N.; Ratliffe, Tom

2002-01-01

Discusses how to teach aerobic fitness concepts to elementary students. Some of the K-2 activities include location, size, and purpose of the heart and lungs; the exercise pulse; respiration rate; and activities to measure aerobic endurance. Some of the 3-6 activities include: definition of aerobic endurance; heart disease risk factors;…

Creation and implementation of a flipped jigsaw activity to stimulate interest in biochemistry among medical students.

PubMed

Williams, Charlene; Perlis, Susan; Gaughan, John; Phadtare, Sangita

2018-05-06

Learner-centered pedagogical methods that are based on clinical application of basic science concepts through active learning and problem solving are shown to be effective for improving knowledge retention. As the clinical relevance of biochemistry is not always apparent to health-profession students, effective teaching of medical biochemistry should highlight the implications of biochemical concepts in pathology, minimize memorization, and make the concepts memorable for long-term retention. Here, we report the creation and successful implementation of a flipped jigsaw activity that was developed to stimulate interest in learning biochemistry among medical students. The activity combined the elements of a flipped classroom for learning concepts followed by a jigsaw activity to retrieve these concepts by solving clinical cases, answering case-based questions, and creating concept maps. The students' reception of the activity was very positive. They commented that the activity provided them an opportunity to review and synthesize information, helped to gage their learning by applying this information and work with peers. Students' improved performance especially for answering the comprehension-based questions correctly in the postquiz as well as the depth of information included in the postquiz concept maps suggested that the activity helped them to understand how different clinical scenarios develop owing to deviations in basic biochemical pathways. Although this activity was created for medical students, the format of this activity can also be useful for other health-professional students as well as undergraduate and graduate students. © 2018 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2018. © 2018 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Playing with Polymers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemecology, 1997

1997-01-01

Presents an activity that enables students to gain a better understanding of the importance of polymers. Students perform an experiment in which polymer chains of polyvinyl acetate form crosslinks. Includes background information and discussion questions. (DDR)

Japanese and Korean Nursing Students' Motivation for Joining Disaster Relief Activities as Nurses in the Future.

PubMed

Choe, Myoung-Ae; Kuwano, Noriko; Bang, Kyung-Sook; Cho, Mi-Kyoung; Yatsushiro, Rika; Kawata, Yuki

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in motivation for joining disaster relief activities as a nurse in the future between Japanese and Korean nursing students. A descriptive 2-group comparative study design was used. The participants were 721 first- to fourth-year nursing students (Japanese, n = 324; Korean, n = 397). From June to September 2014, data were collected through a researcher-administered questionnaire and self-reported answers. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, the χ test, and the t test.No significant difference was found between Japanese and Korean students in motivation to join domestic relief activities should a disaster occur in the area in which they lived. Compared with Korean students, Japanese students strongly agreed that it is necessary to carry out relief work across borders when disasters occur in foreign countries (p = .001). Meanwhile, Japanese students showed less motivation than Korean students to join relief activities in other domestic areas and foreign countries (p = .020).The results of this study suggest that the motivation of Japanese students to join disaster relief activities as nurses in the future should a disaster occur in other domestic areas and foreign countries needs to be increased. The results also suggest that undergraduate students should be well prepared for disasters through disaster nursing education, including practical training, disaster drills, and simulation.

Integrating Field-Centered, Project Based Activities with Academic Year Coursework: A Curriculum Wide Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelso, P. R.; Brown, L. M.

2015-12-01

Based upon constructivist principles and the recognition that many students are motivated by hands-on activities and field experiences, we designed a new undergraduate curriculum at Lake Superior State University. One of our major goals was to develop stand-alone field projects in most of the academic year courses. Examples of courses impacted include structural geology, geophysics, and geotectonics, Students learn geophysical concepts in the context of near surface field-based geophysical studies while students in structural geology learn about structural processes through outcrop study of fractures, folds and faults. In geotectonics students learn about collisional and rifting processes through on-site field studies of specific geologic provinces. Another goal was to integrate data and samples collected by students in our sophomore level introductory field course along with stand-alone field projects in our clastic systems and sequence stratigraphy courses. Our emphasis on active learning helps students develop a meaningful geoscience knowledge base and complex reasoning skills in authentic contexts. We simulate the activities of practicing geoscientists by engaging students in all aspects of a project, for example: field-oriented project planning and design; acquiring, analyzing, and interpreting data; incorporating supplemental material and background data; and preparing oral and written project reports. We find through anecdotal evidence including student comments and personal observation that the projects stimulate interest, provide motivation for learning new concepts, integrate skill and concept acquisition vertically through the curriculum, apply concepts from multiple geoscience subdisiplines, and develop soft skills such as team work, problem solving, critical thinking and communication skills. Through this projected-centered Lake Superior State University geology curriculum students practice our motto of "learn geology by doing geology."

Lifestyle of students from different universities in Wroclaw, Poland.

PubMed

Jakubiec, Dorota; Kornafel, Danuta; Cygan, Agata; Górska-Kłęk, Lucyna; Chromik, Krystyna

2015-01-01

Changes in the economic and political system that took place in Poland in recent decades had a significant impact on lifestyles of different social groups, especially in youngsters as vulnerable and open to all novelty and changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the healthy or non-healthy behaviours including physical activity, diet, time devoted for sleeping, leisure, stress and the use of drugs by students of four universities in Wroclaw. The study involved 604 students (305 women and 299 men) from four universities in Wroclaw: University of Wroclaw - 25.0%, Wroclaw University of Technology - 24.5%, University School of Physical Education (AWF) - 25.2% and Wroclaw Medical University - 25.3%. A questionnaire developed for this study was used. The questions were both open and closed, one or multiple answers could be matched. The questions related to: physical activity, nutrition, time devoted for sleeping, leisure, stress and stimulants. On the basis of the results it was found that students mostly reported an average level of physical activity. The highest level of physical activity was presented by students of the University School of Physical Education and the lowest by students of the University of Wroclaw. Just one in ten students consumed meals on a regular basis, including one in five studying in the AWF. Almost half of the respondents (48.7%) spent 5-7 hours sleeping. Every tenth student slept less than five hours. Most respondents preferred passive forms of recreation, only one in three practiced sports in their spare time (usually students of the AWF). Every fourth student declared smoking, and more than 90% consumed alcohol. Lifestyle of majority of the students surveyed did not follow the recommendations of preventive care. The need for more efficient education of students is obvious, which will lead to the future positive changes in their lifestyle, reducing the risk of lifestyle diseases.

Researching the Real: Transforming the Science Fair through Relevant and Authentic Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Rosemary McBryan

This teacher research study documents the processes used to help students in an all-female, religious-based high school create science fair projects that are personally meaningful, scientifically sophisticated and up-to date in terms of science content. One-hundred sixteen young women in an honors chemistry class were introduced by their teacher to the methods used by science journalists when researching and crafting articles. The students then integrated these strategies into their science fair research through collaborative classroom activities designed by their teacher. Data collected during the process included audio and video tapes of classroom activities, student interviews, process work, finished projects, email conversations and the reflective journaling, annotated lesson plans, and memories of the lived experience by the teacher. The pedagogical changes which resulted from this project included the use of Read Aloud-Think Alouds (RATA) to introduce content and provide relevance, a discussion based topic selection process, the encouragement of relevant topic choices, the increased use of technology for learning activities and for sharing research, and an experimental design process driven by the student's personally relevant, topic choice. Built in feedback loops, provided by the teacher, peer editors and an outside editor, resulted in multiple revisions and expanded opportunities for communicating results to the community-at-large. Greater student engagement in science fair projects was evident: questioning for understanding, active involvement in decision making, collaboration within the classroom community, experience and expertise with reading, writing and the use of technology, sense of agency and interest in science related activities and careers all increased. Students communicated their evolving practices within the school community and became leaders who promoted the increased use of technology in all of their classes. Integrating journalistic practices into the research projects of these honors chemistry students also brought about positive changes in the attitude of the students toward science. The pedagogy implemented was successful at increasing the engagement of the participants in their own learning processes as well as increased interest in science. Moreover, the teacher researcher has expanded her skill set and is transitioning toward a more student-centered classroom. While this study focused on 116 honors chemistry students over the course of three years, it identified changes in practices that can be taken up and examined more broadly by science teachers who include science fairs as part of their curriculum.

Learning Science Process Through Data Exploration and Writing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prothero, W. A.

2007-12-01

One of the most effective ways of teaching science process is to have students take part in the same activities that practicing scientists engage in. These activities include studying the current research in the field, discussing ideas with colleagues, formulating a research problem, making a proposal defining the problem and plan of attack, presenting and writing about the results of the study, and critically reviewing the work of others. An inquiry curriculum can use these activities to guide the scaffolding of assignments and learning experiences that help students learn science process. At UCSB, students in a large general education oceanography class use real Earth data to study plate tectonics, the Indian Monsoon, climate change, and the health of the world fisheries. The end product for each subject has been a science paper based on Earth data. Over a period of approximately 15 years, the scaffolding of activities to prepare each student for the written assignments has been modified and improved, in response to student feedback and their success with the assignments. I have found that the following resources and sequence of activities help the oceanography students write good science papers. 1. Lecture: motivation and the opportunity for feedback and questions. 2. Textbook: background information. It is also possible to get the information from the internet, but unless the scope of reading is strictly defined, students don't know when to stop reading and become unhappy. 3. Online assignments: automatically graded assignments that force the student to keep up with reading. 4. Questions of the day: in-class handouts, with diagrams that the students either complete, or answer questions about. They are handed in and tallied, but not graded. They also inform the instructor of misconceptions. 5. Thought questions: student answers are posted on a threaded discussion list, and are due prior to lecture. The answers provide instructor feedback and guide the lecture. Students see their peers' answers only after entering their own. They can then improve their own answer ("Just In Time Teaching"). 6. Laboratory section activities: these introduce students to the course software, especially the data browsers, and the meaning of the data for the next writing assignment. For each meeting, a group inquiry activity results in a short class presentation by each group. This informs the teaching assistant (who teaches the lab section) of student understanding of the material, helps students become comfortable with the software, and supports students helping each other. 7. Written assignments. The assignments each require an approximately 1100-1600 word paper that includes abstract, introduction, data, interpretation, summary, and references. Images are captured from the data browser and included in the paper. The writing technology has evolved from papers handed in and graded by hand, to fully online hand-in and grading, to calibrated peer review, which was incorporated in the 2005 course. Calibrated peer review has the advantage that students see and evaluate their peers' papers. About 20% of the papers are graded by the instructor, resulting in a much lower instructor grading workload. Also, I suspect that a greater number of very short writing assignments in response to thought questions or min- inquiries might be an effective modification. The new "Learning With Data Workshop" will support many of the inquiry activities described here.

It Takes a Village: Promoting Parent and Family Education on Healthy Lifestyles for Minnesota Secondary Students.

PubMed

Hearst, Mary O; Wang, Qi; Grannon, Katherine; Davey, Cynthia S; Nanney, Marilyn S

2017-01-01

This study examines school strategies to educate parents over time about physical activity and nutrition and how those strategies are related to adolescent health behaviors. Data from the Minnesota School Health Profiles Lead Health Education Teacher survey (2008-2012) and the Minnesota Student Survey (MSS, 2013) included provisions for parent education about physical activity and nutrition and student physical activity and dietary intake behaviors. Analyses were performed using SAS, version 9.3. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to examine changes over time in school policies. Adjusted linear regression models examined cross-sectional association between school policies (2012) and school-level mean student outcomes (2013). Parent education about physical activity and nutrition was constant over time, with the exception of a decrease in physical activity education in schools with low minority enrollment. There was a positive relationship between schools offering physical activity education for parents and the number of days a student meets physical activity and water consumption recommendations. There was no relationship between strategies for nutrition education and dietary intake. School providing strategies for parent engagement around student physical activity and nutrition may increase parent engagement overall and improve adolescent and school-related outcomes. © 2016, American School Health Association.

Wiki: Using the Web Connections to Connect Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donne, Vicki

2012-01-01

The present study reports on action research conducted using a resource wiki. Participants included 48 certified teachers and pre-service teachers enrolled in a face-to-face graduate course supplemented with online activities. Data collected include student reflections that indicate the use of a wiki at the university level is a feasible means of…

Improved Student Learning through a Faculty Learning Community: How Faculty Collaboration Transformed a Large-Enrollment Course from Lecture to Student Centered

PubMed Central

Elliott, Emily R.; Reason, Robert D.; Coffman, Clark R.; Gangloff, Eric J.; Raker, Jeffrey R.; Powell-Coffman, Jo Anne; Ogilvie, Craig A.

2016-01-01

Undergraduate introductory biology courses are changing based on our growing understanding of how students learn and rapid scientific advancement in the biological sciences. At Iowa State University, faculty instructors are transforming a second-semester large-enrollment introductory biology course to include active learning within the lecture setting. To support this change, we set up a faculty learning community (FLC) in which instructors develop new pedagogies, adapt active-learning strategies to large courses, discuss challenges and progress, critique and revise classroom interventions, and share materials. We present data on how the collaborative work of the FLC led to increased implementation of active-learning strategies and a concurrent improvement in student learning. Interestingly, student learning gains correlate with the percentage of classroom time spent in active-learning modes. Furthermore, student attitudes toward learning biology are weakly positively correlated with these learning gains. At our institution, the FLC framework serves as an agent of iterative emergent change, resulting in the creation of a more student-centered course that better supports learning. PMID:27252298

A learning activity to introduce undergraduate students to bioethics in human clinical research: a case study.

PubMed

Segarra, Ignacio; Gomez, Manuel

2014-12-01

We developed a pharmacology practicum assignment to introduce students to the research ethics and steps involved in a clinical trial. The assignment included literature review, critical analysis of bioethical situations, writing a study protocol and presenting it before a simulated ethics committee, a practice interview with a faculty member to obtain informed consent, and a student reflective assessment and self-evaluation. Students were assessed at various steps in the practicum; the learning efficiency of the activity was evaluated using an independent survey as well as students' reflective feedback. Most of the domains of Bloom's and Fink's taxonomies of learning were itemized and covered in the practicum. Students highly valued the translatability of theoretical concepts into practice as well as the approach to mimic professional practice. This activity was within a pharmacy program, but may be easily transferable to other medical or health sciences courses. © The Author(s) 2014.

Using peer-mediated instruction to support communication involving a student with autism during mathematics activities: A case study.

PubMed

Tan, Paulo; Alant, Erna

2018-01-01

This study employed an A-B singled subject design to explore the extent to which a peer-mediated intervention supported a first-grade student with autism's usage both in purpose and frequency of a speech-generating device (SGD) during mathematics activities. The intervention involved teaching a peer without a disability to encourage the student with autism to use the SGD during partnered mathematics activities. Our analysis involved visual and descriptive examination of trends and patterns over time, and comparison of means between and within phases. We found during the course of this study that (1) the student with autism's level of overall communication, which included the relevancy of these communicative behaviors, increased; (2) the student with autism's level of spontaneous communication acts increased; and (3) the peer became more independent with supporting the student with autism's communication. Implications for future research and practice are provided.

Using Kinesthetic Activities to Teach Ptolemaic and Copernican Retrograde Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richards, Ted

2012-06-01

This paper describes a method for teaching planetary retrograde motion, and the Ptolemaic and Copernican accounts of retrograde motion, by means of a series kinesthetic learning activities (KLAs). In the KLAs described, the students literally walk through the motions of the planets in both systems. A retrospective statistical analysis shows that students who participated in these activities performed better on examination questions pertaining to retrograde motion than students who did not. Potential explanations for this result, including the breaking of classroom routine, the effect of body movement on conceptual memory, and egocentric spatial proprioception, are considered.

Science Activities in Energy: Wind Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oak Ridge Associated Universities, TN.

Included in this science activities energy package are 12 activities related to wind energy for elementary students. Each activity is outlined on a single card and is introduced by a question. Topics include: (1) At what time of day is there enough wind to make electricity where you live?; (2) Where is the windiest spot on your schoolground?; and…

Celebrating the International Year of Light in Michigan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sala, Anca L.; Dreyer, Elizabeth F. C.; Aku-Leh, Cynthia; Jones, Timothy; Nees, John A.; Smith, Arlene

2016-09-01

The 2015 International Year of Light created a wonderful opportunity to bring light and optics events and activities to people of all ages and occupations in Michigan. A large spectrum of events took place; from events held in schools, colleges, and universities targeting various groups of students, to events associated with festivals attended by large crowds. The latter included the Ann Arbor Summer Festival held in June and the Flint Back-to-the-Bricks Festival in August. All events included interactive activities where participants learned hands-on about optics and photonics phenomena and applications. Original demonstrations and kits were developed by the Ann Arbor OSA Local Section and the Optics Society at the University of Michigan, the joint OSA/SPIE student chapter, for use during the events. The activities were funded through the student chapter's SPIE grant for IYL outreach events and corporate sponsorships. Under the name Michigan Light Project, these groups along with local technology enthusiasts and science clubs delivered several events across Michigan. Other events took place throughout the year in Mid-Michigan through the efforts of faculty and students in the Photonics and Laser Technology program at Baker College of Flint. The outreach events targeted students in K-12. Teachers, counselors, and parents also learned about the importance of optics and photonics in society. The activities developed will continue this year and in the future. The paper will provide details on the completed events and activities along with tips for implementing similar activities and outreach partnerships in other areas.

The use of an active learning approach in a SCALE-UP learning space improves academic performance in undergraduate General Biology.

PubMed

Hacisalihoglu, Gokhan; Stephens, Desmond; Johnson, Lewis; Edington, Maurice

2018-01-01

Active learning is a pedagogical approach that involves students engaging in collaborative learning, which enables them to take more responsibility for their learning and improve their critical thinking skills. While prior research examined student performance at majority universities, this study focuses on specifically Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for the first time. Here we present work that focuses on the impact of active learning interventions at Florida A&M University, where we measured the impact of active learning strategies coupled with a SCALE-UP (Student Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies) learning environment on student success in General Biology. In biology sections where active learning techniques were employed, students watched online videos and completed specific activities before class covering information previously presented in a traditional lecture format. In-class activities were then carefully planned to reinforce critical concepts and enhance critical thinking skills through active learning techniques such as the one-minute paper, think-pair-share, and the utilization of clickers. Students in the active learning and control groups covered the same topics, took the same summative examinations and completed identical homework sets. In addition, the same instructor taught all of the sections included in this study. Testing demonstrated that these interventions increased learning gains by as much as 16%, and students reported an increase in their positive perceptions of active learning and biology. Overall, our results suggest that active learning approaches coupled with the SCALE-UP environment may provide an added opportunity for student success when compared with the standard modes of instruction in General Biology.

The Rhodes Scholarship in the Current Era of Student Activism: What Do We Consider "Prestigious" and Who Benefits?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adam, LeAnn

2016-01-01

Contemporary student activism has revealed deep feelings of alienation on college campuses, prompting strong reactions to current and historical racial injustice, including the history of Cecil Rhodes. Can advisors promote restorative justice by encouraging reflection upon privileges afforded to Rhodes scholars and their responsibility to address…

The Privilege of Ease: Social Class and Campus Life at Highly Selective, Private Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Nathan D.

2012-01-01

Active involvement in college activities is linked to a host of student development outcomes, including personal growth, achievement and satisfaction. Yet, to date there has been too little attention to how social class shapes campus involvement. Through an analysis of survey data of students attending a single elite university and a national…

Activated Biological Filters (ABF Towers). Student Manual. Biological Treatment Process Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wooley, John F.

This student manual contains textual material for a two-lesson unit on activated bio-filters (ABF). The first lesson (the sewage treatment plant) examines those process units that are unique to the ABF system. The lesson includes a review of the structural components of the ABF system and their functions and a discussion of several operational…

Behavioral Self-Regulation in a Physics Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, John; DeVore, Seth; Stewart, Gay; Michaluk, Lynnette

2016-01-01

This study examined the regulation of out-of-class time invested in the academic activities associated with a physics class for 20 consecutive semesters. The academic activities of 1676 students were included in the study. Students reported investing a semester average of 6.5 ± 2.9 h out of class per week. During weeks not containing an…

Le journal: une introduction (The Newspaper: An Introduction). Teacher's Guide [and Module].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scane, Joyce; Ullmann, Rebecca

A reading activity module based on the newspaper was designed for students in grades 6-8 who have had two years of instruction in French as a second language. The module includes the teacher's guide, the facsimile newspaper, and transparencies for class activities. Module objectives are to introduce students to both newspaper reading and…

India Culture Box. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad 1994 (India).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benedict, Edward S.

This packet describes how a culture kit can be used to engage students in active learning. While using the kit and poster lessons, students will improve their skills of observation, valuing and analysis. Activities include: (1) a "What is it?" game of exploration of cultural items; (2) poster lessons depicting Indian food, gods and…

A Review of Exercise as Intervention for Sedentary Hazardous Drinking College Students: Rationale and Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinstock, Jeremiah

2010-01-01

College students have high rates of alcohol problems despite a number of intervention initiatives designed to reduce alcohol use. Substance use, including heavy drinking, often occurs at the expense of other, substance-free, activities. This review examines the promotion of one specific substance-free activity--exercise--as an intervention for…

Illinois Natural Heritage Conservation/Education Kit IV. Special Theme: Wetland Ecology and Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Sally F.

This instructional guide contains 19 activities and exercises designed to help teachers familiarize their students with the wetland resources of Illinois. Each activity or exercise is ready to be copied and given to students. They include: (1) making a largemouth bass model; (2) building a wetland ecosystem; (3) investigating problems that…

Book of Ideas in Business Education. Activities and Ideas to Motivate Students toward Improved Business Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Education, Oklahoma City.

Developed by Oklahoma Business Education Teachers under the auspices of the Oklahoma State Department of Education, this book of ideas contains short, one-to-three-paragraph descriptions of activities and ideas to motivate students toward improved business education. The business education content areas included in this document are divided into…

The Dinosaurs Didn't See It Coming, But Historians Had Better: Computer Aided Activities in the History Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Julieanne

2001-01-01

States that in ninety percent of colleges across the United States, some or most classrooms are wired for technology integration. Posits that to facilitate student learning and prepare students for future technological advances, instructors must use effective teaching activities that include computers. Provides a sample computer assisted history…

An Exploratory Study of a Robotics Educational Platform on STEM Career Interests in Middle School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinton, Tracy Barger

With the large expected growth in STEM-related careers in American industries, there are not enough graduates to fill these positions (United States Department of Labor, 2015). Increased efforts are being made to reform STEM education from early childhood to college level studies, mainly through increased efforts to incorporate new technologies and project-based learning activities (Hegedorn & Purnamasari, 2012). At the middle school level, a robotics educational platform can be a worthwhile activity that provides hands-on learning as students learn basic programming and engineering skills (Grubbs, 2013). Based on the popularity of LEGO toys, LEGO Education developed an engaging and effective way to learn about computer programming and basic engineering concepts (Welch & Huffman, 2011). LEGO MINDSTORMS offers a project-based learning environment that engages students in real-life, problem-solving challenges. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the instructional use of a robotics educational curriculum on middle school students' attitudes toward and interests in STEM and their experiences with LEGO Robotics activities. Participants included 23 seventh grade students who were enrolled in a Career Cluster Technologies I class in a suburban middle school. Data for the study were collected from three focus group interviews, open-ended surveys, classroom observations, and the Career Cruising program. Findings revealed that the robotics activities led to an increased interest and higher self-efficacy in STEM tasks. If students continue to nurture and develop their STEM interests, it is possible that many of them may develop higher confidence and eventually set personal goals related to STEM classes and careers. While other studies have been conducted on similar topics, this qualitative research is unique because it contributed to the gap in research that investigates the impact of an in-class robotics curriculum on middle school students' attitudes and interests in STEM. Throughout the robotics unit, students exhibited positive reactions, including much excitement and enjoyment as they solved the robotics challenges. In addition, students demonstrated a greater interest in STEM courses and careers as a result of this hands-on activity. Middle school teachers should incorporate STEM-based activities such as robotics to help students gain hands-on STEM skills.

Apple Fool! An Introduction to Artificial Flavors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Chemical Education, 2003

2003-01-01

Presents a science activity on consumer chemistry in which students explore artificial flavors that are commonly used in foods, such as isoamyl acetate and methyl salicylate. Includes instructor information and a student worksheet. (YDS)

Bartering for Minerals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

May, Kathie

2002-01-01

Presents an activity in which students are assigned occupations that rely on specific minerals. To obtain the needed minerals, students learn how to trade services and commodities. Includes details on preparation, modeling behaviors, and printed materials. (DDR)

Active commuting and sociodemographic factors among university students in Spain.

PubMed

Molina-García, Javier; Sallis, James F; Castillo, Isabel

2014-02-01

Commuting to university represents an opportunity to incorporate physical activity (walking or biking) into students' daily routines. There are few studies that analyze patterns of transport in university populations. This cross-sectional study estimated energy expenditure from active commuting to university (ACU) and examined sociodemographic differences in findings. The sample included 518 students with a mean age of 22.4 years (59.7% female) from 2 urban universities in Valencia, Spain. Time spent in each mode of transport to university and sociodemographic factors was assessed by self-report. Nearly 35% of the students reported walking or biking as their main mode of transport. ACU (min/wk) were highest for walkers (168) and cyclists (137) and lowest for motorbike riders (0.0) and car drivers (16). Public transport users, younger students, low socioeconomic status students, and those living ≤ 2 km from the university had higher energy expenditure from active commuting than comparison groups. Biking was highest among those living 2-5 km from the university. Our findings suggest that active commuting and public transit use generated substantial weekly energy expenditure, contributed to meeting physical activity recommendations, and may aid in obesity prevention.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s (ORNL) ecological and physical science study center: A hands-on science program for K-12 students

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

Bradshaw, S.P.

1994-12-31

In our tenth year of educational service and outreach, Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s Ecological and Physical Science Study Center (EPSSC) provides hands-on, inquiry-based science activities for area students and teachers. Established in 1984, the EPSSC now hosts over 20,000 student visits. Designed to foster a positive attitude towards science, each unit includes activities which reinforce the science concept being explored. Outdoor science units provide field experience at the Department of Energy`s Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park and outreach programs are offered on-site in area schools. Other programs are offered as extensions of the EPSSC core programs, including on-site studentmore » science camps, all-girl programs, outreach science camps, student competitions, teacher in-service presentations and teacher workshops.« less

Perceived influence and college students' diet and physical activity behaviors: an examination of ego-centric social networks.

PubMed

Harmon, Brook E; Forthofer, Melinda; Bantum, Erin O; Nigg, Claudio R

2016-06-06

Obesity is partially a social phenomenon, with college students particularly vulnerable to changes in social networks and obesity-related behaviors. Currently, little is known about the structure of social networks among college students and their potential influence on diet and physical activity behaviors. The purpose of the study was to examine social influences impacting college students' diet and physical activity behaviors, including sources of influence, comparisons between sources' and students' behaviors, and associations with meeting diet and physical activity recommendations. Data was collected from 40 students attending college in Hawaii. Participants completed diet and physical activity questionnaires and a name generator. Participants rated nominees' influence on their diet and physical activity behaviors as well as compared nominees' behaviors to their own. Descriptive statistics were used to look at perceptions of influence across network groups. Logistic regression models were used to examine associations between network variables and odds of meeting recommendations. A total of 325 nominations were made and included: family (n = 116), college friends (n = 104), high school friends (n = 87), and significant others (n = 18). Nearly half of participants were not from Hawaii. Significant others of non-Hawaii students were perceived to be the most influential (M(SD) = 9(1.07)) and high school friends the least influential (M(SD) = 1.31(.42)) network. Overall, perceived influence was highest for diet compared to physical activity, but varied based on comparisons with nominees' behaviors. Significant others were most often perceived has having similar (44 %) or worse (39 %) eating behaviors than participants, and those with similar eating behaviors were perceived as most influential (M(SD) = 9.25(1.04)). Few associations were seen between network variables and odds of meeting recommendations. Among the groups nominated, high school friends were perceived as least influential, especially among students who moved a long distance for college. Intervention strategies addressing perceived norms and using peer leaders may help promote physical activity among college students, while diet interventions may need to involve significant others in order to be successful. Testing of these types of intervention strategies and continued examination of social networks and their influences on diet and physical activity behaviors are needed.

Assessing the impact participation in science journalism activities has on scientific literacy among high school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrar, Cathy

As part of the National Science Foundation Science Literacy through Science Journalism (SciJourn) research and development initiative (http://www.scijourn.org ; Polman, Saul, Newman, and Farrar, 2008) a quasi-experimental design was used to investigate what impact incorporating science journalism activities had on students' scientific literacy. Over the course of a school year students participated in a variety of activities culminating in the production of science news articles for Scijourner, a regional print and online high school science news magazine. Participating teachers and SciJourn team members collaboratively developed activities focused on five aspects of scientific literacy: placing information into context, recognizing relevance, evaluating factual accuracy, use of multiple credible sources and information seeking processes. This study details the development process for the Scientific Literacy Assessment (SLA) including validity and reliability studies, evaluates student scientific literacy using the SLA, examines student SLA responses to provide a description of high school students' scientific literacy, and outlines implications of the findings in relation to the National Research Council's A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas (2012) and classroom science teaching practices. Scientifically literate adults acting as experts in the assessment development phase informed the creation of a scoring guide that was used to analyze student responses. Experts tended to draw on both their understanding of science concepts and life experiences to formulate answers; paying close attention to scientific factual inaccuracies, sources of information, how new information fit into their view of science and society as well as targeted strategies for information seeking. Novices (i.e., students), in contrast, tended to ignore factual inaccuracies, showed little understanding about source credibility and suggested unproductive information seeking strategies. However, similar to the experts, novices made references to both scientific and societal contexts. The expert/novice comparison provides a rough description of a developmental continuum of scientific literacy. The findings of this study including student results and Generalized Linear Mixed Modeling suggest that the incorporation of science journalism activities focused on STEM issues can improve student scientific literacy. Incorporation of a wide variety of strategies raised scores on the SLA. Teachers who included a writing and revision process that prioritized content had significantly larger gains in student scores. Future studies could broaden the description of high school student scientific literacy and measured by the SLA and provide alternative pathways for developing scientific literacy as envisioned by SciJourn and the NRC Frameworks.

Motivational factors and stages of change for physical activity among college students in Amman, Jordan.

PubMed

Madanat, Hala; Merrill, Ray M

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate physical activity levels across the five stages of change for physical activity and to identify motivational factors for physical activity according to these stages of change among college students in Amman, Jordan. Analyses were based on a cross-sectional survey of 431 students, with a mean age of 21.1 (SD=0.16) and 67.5% female. Based on the recommendation that physical activity requires at least 30 minutes of physical activity 3 or more days per week, men were more likely than women to classify themselves in later stages: 7.3% vs. 9.5% in the precontemplation stage, 17.4% vs. 14.7% in the contemplation stage, 50.0% vs. 63.5% in the preparation stage, 9.4% vs. 5.6% in the action stage, and 15.9% vs. 6.7% in the maintenance stage [X2(4) = 14.04, p = 0.0072]. Seven potential motivational items for physical activity were assessed using factor analysis: experience better self-worth, prevent chronic disease, relieve stress, stay in shape, longevity, recreation/fun, and social benefits. Two factor groupings were identified from these items. The first factor included the first five items, labeled as "Physical and Mental". The second factor included the last two items, labeled as "Social and Recreational." "Physical and Mental" items compared with "Social and Recreational" items were most likely to motivate physical activity across the stages of change for physical activity. The strongest motivator of physical activity was to stay in shape. The weakest motivator of physical activity was for social reasons. The influence of the intermediate motivational factors was slightly affected by the students' stage of change for physical activity. Motivators for physical activity did not differ according to sex. These results provide important information about the motivational factors for physical activity for college-aged students in Jordan that can be useful in developing effective physical activity intervention programs.

The Effect of Math Modeling on Student's Emerging Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sokolowski, Andrzej

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of applying mathematical modeling on revising students' preconception of the process of optimizing area enclosed by a string of a fixed length. A group of 28 high school pre-calculus students were immersed in modeling activity that included direct measurements, data collecting, and formulating algebraic…

How To Learn More in Less Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaughnessy, Michael F.

Designed to help poorly prepared students perform better in college and to help prepared students perform at higher levels, this paper presents a series of specific suggestions for students regarding study activities, course choice, thinking behavior, and time allocation. The suggestions include the following: (1) eliminate diversions during study…

Reducing Classroom Disputes between Faculty and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toppin, Ian N.; Pullens, Laveda M.

2015-01-01

Prior classroom management training makes a big difference in faculty's ability to handle disputes with students. This type of training should be included in faculty orientation activities. The research presented in this article indicates that success in dealing with behaviorally challenging students is possible if the likely areas of dispute are…

Success with ACCESS: Use of Community-Based Participatory Research for Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eilola, Carolyn; Fishman, Kathryn; Greenburg, Arielle; Moore, Crystal Dea; Schrijver, Andrew; Totino, Jamin

2011-01-01

The Assessment of Campus Climate to Enhance Student Success survey (ACCESS) is a set of four questionnaires designed to elicit feedback from five campus constituencies including faculty, administration, staff, students with disabilities, and students without disabilities "to use in planning and garnering support for meaningful activities and…

Global Climates--Past, Present, and Future. Activities for Integrated Science Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Sandra, Ed.; And Others

Designed for integration into existing science curriculum for grades 8-10, this curriculum uses a current environmental issue, climate change, as a vehicle for teaching science education. Instructional goals include: (1) familiarize students with scientific methods; (2) help students understand the role of uncertainty; (3) encourage students to…

Using Minute Papers to Determine Student Cognitive Development Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vella, Lia

2015-01-01

Can anonymous written feedback collected during classroom assessment activities be used to assess students' cognitive development levels? After library instruction in a first-year engineering design class, students submitted minute papers that included answers to "what they are left wondering." Responses were coded into low, medium and…

Look on the Brighter Side

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cookson, Peter W., Jr.

2004-01-01

In this article, the author shares tips on how to develop a student's creative intelligence and provide activities that enable students to discover their innate abilities. These include making sure that the classroom is a home for students and reflects their hopes and aspirations, creating an effective classroom where every child has the…

Modelling in Primary School: Constructing Conceptual Models and Making Sense of Fractions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahbari, Juhaina Awawdeh; Peled, Irit

2017-01-01

This article describes sixth-grade students' engagement in two model-eliciting activities offering students the opportunity to construct mathematical models. The findings show that students utilized their knowledge of fractions including conceptual and procedural knowledge in constructing mathematical models for the given situations. Some students…

Business as Usual? Not for These Middle-Grades Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Heather; Wiest, Lynda

2011-01-01

A perpetual dilemma of schooling is how to help students develop skills needed for everyday life, including the work world. Quantitative literacy, also called numeracy, involves an ability to apply essential mathematics skills to authentic or near-authentic tasks. Carefully planned classroom activities can help students develop these important…

Ah-choo! Increased Risk of Pollen Allergies in the Northern Hemisphere

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Constible, Juanita; Sandro, Luke

2008-01-01

In this problem-based learning activity designed for nonscience majors, students assume the roles of scientists working for a public relations firm. Teams of students design communication products illustrating links between climate change and pollen allergies. Students develop a variety of process skills critical to scientists, including working…

Today's Technologies Enhance Writing in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Amy

2012-01-01

It is widely accepted that including writing activities in the learning process positively impacts student achievement and leads to greater depth of student understanding. This writing is often missing in the math classroom though, when the focus is misplaced on rote procedures. In these classrooms students learn mathematical processes but have…

PCBs in Fish: A Problem? Student Guide and Teacher Guide. OEAGLS Investigation 19.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Victor J.; And Others

In this secondary school unit, students investigate the health effects and methods for controlling polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The teacher's manual contains a materials list, objectives, teaching strategies, supplementary information on PCBs, and answers to questions included in the accompanying student workbook. Activities presented include…

Archaeology of Early Colonial Life. Teaching with Primary Sources Series, Volume 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Jean

This kit, for grades 5 and up, helps students master the content of Colonial American history and develops students' historiographic and upper level thinking skills. The documents and activities included in this volume allow students to become "historical detectives," peeling back the layers, deciphering archaic lettering, reassembling…

A Qualitative Analysis of the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Recommendations of Students in Grades 5 to 8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Charles E.; Cunningham, Lesley J.; Ratcliffe, Jenna; Vaillancourt, Tracy

2010-01-01

Focus groups explored the bullying prevention suggestions of 62 Grade 5 to 8 students. Discussions were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Students advocated a comprehensive approach including uniforms, increased supervision, playground activities, group restructuring to prevent social isolation, influential presenters, prevention skills…

Introducing the Action Potential to Psychology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon-Dack, Stephanie L.

2014-01-01

For this simple active learning technique for teaching, students are assigned "roles" and act out the process of the action potential (AP), including the firing threshold, ion-specific channels for ions to enter and leave the cell, diffusion, and the refractory period. Pre-post test results indicated that students demonstrated increased…

The Boeing Company's Manufacturing Technology Student Internship. Evaluation Report (1994-95).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Changhua; Owens, Thomas R.

An evaluation was conducted of the Boeing Company's summer internship program for students enrolled in a manufacturing technology program after grades 11, 12, and 13 (first year of community college). The evaluation included the following activities: a review of documents describing the internship structure, student selection process, and…

School Restructuring: What Works When? A Guide for Education Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassel, Emily Ayscue; Hassel, Bryan C.; Arkin, Matthew D.; Kowal, Julie M.; Steiner, Lucy M.

2009-01-01

Studies of high-performing schools, where all students learn more than similar students in other schools, show common design elements. These elements are comprehensive, affecting the whole school, and include: (1) Clear mission guiding daily activities; (2) High, unyielding expectations that all students will learn; (3) Frequent monitoring of…

Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Students--Radically or Invisibly at Risk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piernik, Thomas E.

1992-01-01

New research and structures of higher education must be explored to create positive learning environments for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students, whose needs may be different from those of traditional students. This requires attention to college and classroom environment, curriculum, and services, including campus activities, career and personal…

Developing and Teaching Ethical Decision Making Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, John

1991-01-01

Student leaders and campus activities professionals can use a variety of techniques to help college students develop skill in ethical decision making, including teaching about the decision-making process, guiding students through decisions with a series of questions, playing ethics games, exploring assumptions, and best of all, role modeling. (MSE)

Communication Apprehension Levels of Student Governance Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Michael T.; Nadler, Daniel P.

2009-01-01

A major component of the college student experience is the engagement with out-of-class activities. This involvement has been linked to a variety of success indicators, including higher levels of academic achievement, high retention and matriculation, and overall collegiate satisfaction. One of the key areas for student engagement is college…

Listening to Students: Creating Democratic Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castor, Maggie

2011-01-01

Spontaneity, embodied learning, active engagement in the community, boundary pushing--this is what the author could always count on when coming to Reclaiming Democracy as a student. As it was taught in the fall 2009 semester, the class was a multi-university and multi-community experience that included facilitators and students from Elon…

A multilevel examination of school and student characteristics associated with moderate and high levels of physical activity among elementary school students (Ontario, Canada).

PubMed

Hobin, Erin P; Leatherdale, Scott T; Manske, Steve R; Robertson-Wilson, Jennifer

2010-01-01

Schools represent an important environment for physical activity (PA) promotion among youth. Schools can promote PA through policies and programs but our understanding of how these school characteristics associate with student PA levels is largely unknown. Developing this understanding is critical for implementing new prevention interventions. The aim of this study was to identify the school- and student-related characteristics associated with moderate and high levels of PA in a sample of Ontario elementary schools. Using multi-level logistic regression analyses, we explored the school- and student-level characteristics associated with being moderately and highly active using data collected from administrators and from students in grades 5 to 8 at 30 elementary schools in Ontario. Students' PA levels, sex, grade, and the number of physical education classes per week were linked to school environment data--specifically, a school's chosen implementation model for daily physical activity and whether it offers intramural and interschool PA programming. Findings indicate that there was significant between-school variation for being moderately and highly active. Students were less likely to be moderately or highly active if they attended a school offering interschool PA programming. An important student characteristic positively associated with student PA levels included participating in at least two physical education classes per week. The residual differences in PA by school suggest that school-level characteristics facilitate higher levels of student PA beyond individual-level factors. Although most variation in student PA lies between students within schools, there is sufficient between-school variation to be of interest to practitioners and policy-makers.

Student Buy-In Toward Formative Assessments: The Influence of Student Factors and Importance for Course Success †

PubMed Central

Brazeal, Kathleen R.; Couch, Brian A.

2017-01-01

Formative assessment (FA) techniques, such as pre-class assignments, in-class activities, and post-class homework, have been shown to improve student learning. While many students find these techniques beneficial, some students may not understand how they support learning or may resist their implementation. Improving our understanding of FA buy-in has important implications, since buy-in can potentially affect whether students fully engage with and learn from FAs. We investigated FAs in 12 undergraduate biology courses to understand which student characteristics influenced buy-in toward FAs and whether FA buy-in predicted course success. We administered a mid-semester survey that probed student perceptions toward several different FA types, including activities occurring before, during, and after class. The survey included closed-ended questions aligned with a theoretical framework outlining key FA objectives. We used factor analysis to calculate an overall buy-in score for each student and general linear models to determine whether certain characteristics were associated with buy-in and whether buy-in predicted exam scores and course grades. We found that unfixed student qualities, such as perceptions, behaviors, and beliefs, consistently predicted FA buy-in, while fixed characteristics, including demographics, previous experiences, and incoming performance metrics, had more limited effects. Importantly, we found that higher buy-in toward most FA types predicted higher exam scores and course grades, even when controlling for demographic characteristics and previous academic performance. We further discuss steps that instructors can take to maximize student buy-in toward FAs. PMID:28512523

Webcasts promote in-class active participation and learning in an engineering elective course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freguia, Stefano

2017-09-01

This paper describes the design and outcomes of an educational intervention undertaken to improve the quality of delivery of a fourth-year engineering elective course - Industrial Wastewater and Solid Waste Management at the University of Queensland. The objective was to increase the level of active participation of students in planned active-learning classroom activities, including whole-class discussions and small group project-type work. According to a flipped classroom model, new online material in the form of webcasts was proposed to students before class. Students reacted very positively to the webcasts: the percentage of students viewing the webcast before planned workshop sessions ranged between 80% and 92% over the five weeks of the intervention. Enhanced engagement led also to increased attendance (85-92% at workshop sessions), and remarkable active participation in class (half of observed teams were ∼80% active). Remarkably, team performance as quantified by their report marks linearly correlated with the level of active participation in class.

A school-based, peer leadership physical activity intervention for 6th graders: feasibility and results of a pilot study.

PubMed

Barr-Anderson, Daheia J; Laska, Melissa N; Veblen-Mortenson, Sara; Farbakhsh, Kian; Dudovitz, Bonnie; Story, Mary

2012-05-01

The aim of this study was to promote physical activity in 6th graders by developing and testing the feasibility of an enhanced Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) program comprised of a peer leadership component and innovative exercise resource toolkit including DVDs. A racially/ethnically diverse sample of students received the standard PALA program (2 control schools, n = 61) or enhanced PALA+Peers program (2 intervention schools, n = 87) during 2006-2007 academic year. Compared with the control condition, the intervention was successful in increasing moderate physical activity in all students (P = .02) and moderate and hard physical activity among girls (P = .03 and P = .04, respectively). Teachers and students reported a high level of satisfaction and receptivity with the intervention. All teachers thought the DVDs were well-received, and 87% of students reported that they would recommend the enhanced program to peers. Coupling peer leadership and DVDs that promote physical activity may be an effective way to increase youth physical activity.

Activation and motivation of medical students for learning histoembrylogy.

PubMed

Stiblar-Martincic, D

1998-01-01

The paper described the present learning/teaching activities for the basic subject in the medical curriculum called histoembryology. Various forms of teaching are presented, but a special emphasis is put on computer assisted testing. The leading idea in the teaching activities is to improve the activation and motivation of the students. This goal has been only partly achieved presumably because of insufficient coordination and integration in the curriculum. The plans for further improvements in histoembryology teaching are presented, including the improvements in computer assisted testing.

A large-scale mass casualty simulation to develop the non-technical skills medical students require for collaborative teamwork.

PubMed

Jorm, Christine; Roberts, Chris; Lim, Renee; Roper, Josephine; Skinner, Clare; Robertson, Jeremy; Gentilcore, Stacey; Osomanski, Adam

2016-03-08

There is little research on large-scale complex health care simulations designed to facilitate student learning of non-technical skills in a team-working environment. We evaluated the acceptability and effectiveness of a novel natural disaster simulation that enabled medical students to demonstrate their achievement of the non-technical skills of collaboration, negotiation and communication. In a mixed methods approach, survey data were available from 117 students and a thematic analysis undertaken of both student qualitative comments and tutor observer participation data. Ninety three per cent of students found the activity engaging for their learning. Three themes emerged from the qualitative data: the impact of fidelity on student learning, reflexivity on the importance of non-technical skills in clinical care, and opportunities for collaborative teamwork. Physical fidelity was sufficient for good levels of student engagement, as was sociological fidelity. We demonstrated the effectiveness of the simulation in allowing students to reflect upon and evidence their acquisition of skills in collaboration, negotiation and communication, as well as situational awareness and attending to their emotions. Students readily identified emerging learning opportunities though critical reflection. The scenarios challenged students to work together collaboratively to solve clinical problems, using a range of resources including interacting with clinical experts. A large class teaching activity, framed as a simulation of a natural disaster is an acceptable and effective activity for medical students to develop the non-technical skills of collaboration, negotiation and communication, which are essential to team working. The design could be of value in medical schools in disaster prone areas, including within low resource countries, and as a feasible intervention for learning the non-technical skills that are needed for patient safety.

What's on YOUR Facebook profile? Evaluation of an educational intervention to promote appropriate use of privacy settings by medical students on social networking sites.

PubMed

Walton, Jennifer M; White, Jonathan; Ross, Shelley

2015-01-01

Background The rise of social media has led to growing concerns about the potential implications of 'unprofessional' postings by physicians and medical students on individuals, institutions, and the medical profession. Relevant and effective guidelines have been difficult to develop and enforce, and there is a need for students and physicians to consider how their online activities may be perceived in the context of their professional roles. The purpose of this project was to examine the Internet presence of a graduating Canadian medical school class by scanning students' public profiles on the social media site Facebook, incorporate this information into an educational activity addressing professionalism and social media, and evaluate the impact of this activity on student behavior. Methods A systematic search for public Facebook profiles of each member of the class was conducted, and data were collected on the types of publicly visible material. These were presented as part of an educational session on social media and professionalism. One month later, the Facebook search was repeated. Results Of 152 students in the class, profiles were found for 121 (79.8%). The majority of students used appropriately restrictive privacy settings; however, a significant minority had publicly visible information, including comments, photographs, location, and status as a medical student. The educational innovation was well received with more than 90% of students agreeing that this topic was important and well addressed. A follow-up search found that many students had altered their privacy settings to make less information publicly available. Conclusions A small but significant proportion of students share potentially unprofessional content on social media. An interactive educational intervention, which includes specific disclosure of how participants appear to others on social media, resulted in a significant change in student behavior.

What's on YOUR Facebook profile? Evaluation of an educational intervention to promote appropriate use of privacy settings by medical students on social networking sites.

PubMed

Walton, Jennifer M; White, Jonathan; Ross, Shelley

2015-01-01

The rise of social media has led to growing concerns about the potential implications of 'unprofessional' postings by physicians and medical students on individuals, institutions, and the medical profession. Relevant and effective guidelines have been difficult to develop and enforce, and there is a need for students and physicians to consider how their online activities may be perceived in the context of their professional roles. The purpose of this project was to examine the Internet presence of a graduating Canadian medical school class by scanning students' public profiles on the social media site Facebook, incorporate this information into an educational activity addressing professionalism and social media, and evaluate the impact of this activity on student behavior. A systematic search for public Facebook profiles of each member of the class was conducted, and data were collected on the types of publicly visible material. These were presented as part of an educational session on social media and professionalism. One month later, the Facebook search was repeated. Of 152 students in the class, profiles were found for 121 (79.8%). The majority of students used appropriately restrictive privacy settings; however, a significant minority had publicly visible information, including comments, photographs, location, and status as a medical student. The educational innovation was well received with more than 90% of students agreeing that this topic was important and well addressed. A follow-up search found that many students had altered their privacy settings to make less information publicly available. A small but significant proportion of students share potentially unprofessional content on social media. An interactive educational intervention, which includes specific disclosure of how participants appear to others on social media, resulted in a significant change in student behavior.

How learning analytics can early predict under-achieving students in a blended medical education course.

PubMed

Saqr, Mohammed; Fors, Uno; Tedre, Matti

2017-07-01

Learning analytics (LA) is an emerging discipline that aims at analyzing students' online data in order to improve the learning process and optimize learning environments. It has yet un-explored potential in the field of medical education, which can be particularly helpful in the early prediction and identification of under-achieving students. The aim of this study was to identify quantitative markers collected from students' online activities that may correlate with students' final performance and to investigate the possibility of predicting the potential risk of a student failing or dropping out of a course. This study included 133 students enrolled in a blended medical course where they were free to use the learning management system at their will. We extracted their online activity data using database queries and Moodle plugins. Data included logins, views, forums, time, formative assessment, and communications at different points of time. Five engagement indicators were also calculated which would reflect self-regulation and engagement. Students who scored below 5% over the passing mark were considered to be potentially at risk of under-achieving. At the end of the course, we were able to predict the final grade with 63.5% accuracy, and identify 53.9% of at-risk students. Using a binary logistic model improved prediction to 80.8%. Using data recorded until the mid-course, prediction accuracy was 42.3%. The most important predictors were factors reflecting engagement of the students and the consistency of using the online resources. The analysis of students' online activities in a blended medical education course by means of LA techniques can help early predict underachieving students, and can be used as an early warning sign for timely intervention.

Into Adolescence: A Menu for Good Health. A Curriculum for Grades 5-8. Contemporary Health Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laing, Susan J.

This module, oriented toward middle school students in grades 5-8, includes nine lessons designed to help students synthesize nutritional information and use it to improve their health. In lesson 1, students look at factors that influence food choices. Lesson 2 uses creative expression activities to help students learn about the role of nutrients.…

The Role of Hidden Curricula on the Resistance Behavior of Undergraduate Students in Psychological Counseling and Guidance at a Turkish University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuksel, Sedat

2006-01-01

Student resistance can be a very important problem for the instructors in universities. Student resistance includes the conscious and preplanned behaviors towards the information presented to them in the classroom and the institutional practices. Typically, student resistance takes the form of passive or active non-compliance with roles and…

Making the Introductory Meteorology Class Relevant in a Minority Serving Community College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchese, P. J.; Tremberger, G.; Bluestone, C.

2008-12-01

Queensborough Community College (QCC), a constituent campus of the City University of New York (CUNY), has modified the introductory Meteorology Class lecture and lab to include active learning activities and discovery based learning. The modules were developed at QCC and other 4 year colleges and designed to introduce basic physical concepts important in meteorology. The modules consisted of either interactive lecture demonstrations or discovery-based activities. The discovery based activities are intended to have students become familiar with scientific investigation. Students engage in formulating hypotheses, developing and carrying out experiments, and analyzing scientific data. These activities differ from traditional lab experiments in that they avoid "cookbook" procedures and emphasize having the students learn about physical concepts by applying the scientific method. During the interactive lecture demonstrations the instructor describes an experiment/phenomenon that is to be demonstrated in class. Students discuss the phenomenon based on their experiences and make a prediction about the outcome. The class then runs the experiment, makes observations, and compares the expected results to the actual outcome. As a result of these activities students in the introductory Meteorology class scored higher in exams questions measuring conceptual understanding, as well as factual knowledge. Lower scoring students demonstrated the greatest benefit, while the better students had little (or no) changes. All students also had higher self-efficacy scores after the intervention, compared to an unmodified class.

Prospective study of the participation patterns of Grade 6 and Year 8 students in Victoria, Australia in activities outside of school.

PubMed

McMullan, Sarah; Chin, Rachel; Froude, Elspeth; Imms, Christine

2012-06-01

Positive participation outcomes are deemed the ultimate goal of health care and specifically of occupational therapy. Knowledge of the typical participation patterns of children in Australia will provide essential information to support our understanding of participation and the goal of maximising children's engagement. This study investigated the participation of Grade 6 and Year 8 Victorian students in activities outside school and explored differences between genders and between students in different year levels. Secondarily, we began to establish Australian normative data on the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children. This cross sectional survey methods study recruited students from a random selection of public schools. Participation was measured using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children questionnaires. Participants included 84 (37 female, 47 male) students in Grade 6 (n = 43) and Year 8 (n = 41). Differences between year levels were only evident for participation in Recreational and Active Physical activities. Grade 6 students did more activities, more intensely than Year 8 students, but with no difference in enjoyment. The mean number of Recreational activities done by Grade 6 students was 8.5 (95%CI: 7.9-9.1) compared to Year 8 students 6.9 (95%CI: 6.1-7.7; P = 0.001). Gender differences were evident in the participation patterns within Social, Skill-Based and Self-Improvement activities. The findings suggested that gender was a more important influence on participation patterns than a 2-year age gap, with participation patterns being relatively stable between Grade 6 and Year 8. © 2012 The Authors Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2012 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Sexual behaviour of adolescents in Nigeria: cross sectional survey of secondary school students

PubMed Central

Slap, Gail B; Lot, Lucy; Huang, Bin; Daniyam, Comfort A; Zink, Therese M; Succop, Paul A

2003-01-01

Objectives To determine whether family structure (polygamous or monogamous) is associated with sexual activity among school students in Nigeria. Design Cross sectional school survey with a two stage, clustered sampling design. Participants 4218 students aged 12-21 years attending 39 schools in Plateau state, Nigeria. Responses from 2705 students were included in the analysis. Main outcome measure Report of ever having had sexual intercourse. Variables of interest included sexual history, age, sex, religion, family polygamy, educational level of parents, having a dead parent, and sense of connectedness to parents and school. Results Overall 909 students (34%) reported ever having had sexual intercourse, and 1119 (41%) reported a polygamous family structure. Sexual activity was more common among students from polygamous families (42% of students) than monogamous families (28%) (χ2=64.23; P<0.0001). Variables independently associated with sexual activity were male sex (adjusted odds ratio 2.52 (95% confidence interval 2.05 to 3.12)), older age (1.62 (1.24 to 2.14)), lower sense of connectedness with parents (1.87 (1.48 to 2.38)), having a dead parent (1.59 (1.27 to 2.00)), family polygamy (1.58 (1.29 to 1.92)), lower sense of connectedness with school (1.25 (1.09 to 1.44)), and lower educational level of parents (1.14 (1.05 to 1.24)). Multistep logistic regression analysis showed that the effect of polygamy on sexual activity was reduced by 27% by whether students were married and 22% by a history of forced sex. Conclusions Secondary school students in Nigeria from a polygamous family structure are more likely to have engaged in sexual activity than students from a monogamous family structure. This effect is partly explained by a higher likelihood of marriage during adolescence and forced sex. Students' sense of connectedness to their parents and school, regardless of family structure, decreases the likelihood of sexual activity, and fostering this sense may help reduce risky sexual behaviour among Nigerian youth. What is already known on this topicIn 2000 Nigeria developed a national health policy aimed at preventing behaviour among adolescents leading to sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), pregnancy, and dropout from schoolEffective interventions in Nigeria have been hampered by inadequate information on contextual factors associated with sexual behaviour of adolescentsIn Western countries adolescents' sense of connectedness to their parents and to school is inversely associated with risky sexual behaviour, but these effects may differ in countries where polygamy is prevalent and where school attendance is lowWhat this paper addsA polygamous family structure is associated with early sexual activity among adolescents, an effect partly explained by a higher likelihood of marriage and history of forced sexual intercourseA greater sense of connectedness to parents and school decreases the likelihood of sexual activity, regardless of family structure PMID:12511453

GeoMapApp Learning Activities: Enabling the democratisation of geoscience learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwillie, A. M.; Kluge, S.

2011-12-01

GeoMapApp Learning Activities (http://serc.carleton.edu/geomapapp) are step-by-step guided inquiry geoscience education activities that enable students to dictate the pace of learning. They can be used in the classroom or out of class, and their guided nature means that the requirement for teacher intervention is minimised which allows students to spend increased time analysing and understanding a broad range of geoscience data, content and concepts. Based upon GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org), a free, easy-to-use map-based data exploration and visualisation tool, each activity furnishes the educator with an efficient package of downloadable documents. This includes step-by-step student instructions and answer sheet; a teacher's edition annotated worksheet containing teaching tips, additional content and suggestions for further work; quizzes for use before and after the activity to assess learning; and a multimedia tutorial. The activities can be used by anyone at any time in any place with an internet connection. In essence, GeoMapApp Learning Activities provide students with cutting-edge technology, research-quality geoscience data sets, and inquiry-based learning in a virtual lab-like environment. Examples of activities so far created are student calculation and analysis of the rate of seafloor spreading, and present-day evidence on the seafloor for huge ancient landslides around the Hawaiian islands. The activities are designed primarily for students at the community college, high school and introductory undergraduate levels, exposing students to content and concepts typically found in those settings.

Benefits and challenges of international clinical education from a US-based physiotherapist faculty perspective.

PubMed

Pechak, Celia; Black, Jill D

2013-12-01

The influence of internationalization on physiotherapist education in at least North American-based programmes has become more apparent. Faculty and students have been involved in various international activities. One category of activities includes international clinical education (ICE), where students earn clinical education credit for their learning activities at international sites. Although this educational strategy appears to be increasingly used in at least the United States and Canada, the related literature is limited in scope. The purpose of this portion of the present study was to investigate the benefits and challenges of ICE for US-based students, US-based physiotherapy programmes and international partners from the perspective of US-based faculty sending students for clinical education internationally. Content analysis was used for this qualitative study. Fifteen US-based faculty members who had experience in sending physiotherapist students for ICE were recruited. The primary researcher conducted semi-structured phone interviews, averaging approximately 60 minutes in length. The primary and secondary researchers completed data analysis using NVivo 8 software (QSR International Inc., Cambridge, MA). Benefits of ICE to the students included exposure to alternate health systems, broadening of student perspectives and clinical competence. Challenges consisted of funding and possible language barrier. Increased visibility, expanded global perspective and faculty collaborations were benefits to the programme. Ensuring a quality learning experience was the greatest programme challenge. Benefits to the international site included education and faculty collaborations/exchanges; challenges were language, student clinical preparation and unfamiliarity with the student evaluation tool. Because the sample was limited to 15 US-based faculty members, the results may not be relevant to all programmes inside or outside of the United States. Additionally, the study lacked perspectives from the students or international sites. The present study is an early step in the important examination of the impact of this emerging educational trend on physiotherapy education and practice. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Imagine the Universe! The Anatomy of Black Holes. Probing the Structure & Evolution of the Cosmos. An Information and Activity Booklet. Grades 9-12, 1998-1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitlock, Laura A.; Granger, Kara C.; Mahon, Jane D.

The information provided in this booklet is meant to give the necessary background information so that the science of black holes can be taught confidently to secondary students. The featured activities can be used to engage and excite students about the topic of black holes in different disciplines and in a number of ways. Activities include: (1)…

WWC Review of the Report "A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Aerobic Physical Activity on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Young Children." What Works Clearinghouse Single Study Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2015

2015-01-01

For the 2014 study, "A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Aerobic Physical Activity on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Young Children", researchers examined the effect of a daily before-school physical activity program on behavioral outcomes of students in grades K-2. The study sample included 202 students who…

Integrated method of teaching in Web Quest activity and its impact on undergraduate students' cognition and learning behaviors: a future trend in medical education.

PubMed

Badiyepeymaie Jahromi, Zohreh; Mosalanejad, Leili

2015-01-14

Web Quest is one of the new ways of teaching and learning that is based on research, and includes the principles of learning and cognitive activities, such as collaborative learning, social and cognitive learning, and active learning, and increases motivation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Web Quest influence on students' learning behaviors. In this quasi-experimental study, which was performed on undergraduates taking a psychiatric course at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, simple sampling was used to select the cases to be studied; the students entered the study through census and were trained according to Web Quest methodology. The procedure was to present the course as a case study and team work. Each topic included discussing concepts and then patient's treatment and the communicative principles for two weeks. Active participation of the students in response to the scenario and introduced problem was equal to preparing scientific videos about the disease and collecting the latest medical treatment for the disease from the Internet.Three questionnaires, including the self-directed learning Questionnaire, teamwork evaluation Questionnaire (value of team), and Buffard self-regulated Questionnaire, were the data gathering tools. The results showed that the average of self-regulated learning and self-directed learning (SDL) increased after the educational intervention. However, the increase was not significant. On the other hand, problem solving (P=0.001) and the value of teamwork (P=0.002), apart from increasing the average, had significant statistical values. In view of Web Quest's positive impacts on students' learning behaviors, problem solving and teamwork, the effective use of active learning and teaching practices and use of technology in medical education are recommended.

Teaching Day-by-Day: A Cornucopia of Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teaching Pre K-8, 2005

2005-01-01

This article presents teacher's guide to daily activities for the month of November. The activities help PreK-12 educators to enhance student development. Topics for this month's activities include literacy, language, math, science, and healthy habits.

Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity

PubMed Central

Villanueva, Idalis; Valladares, Maria; Goodridge, Wade

2016-01-01

Typically, self-reports are used in educational research to assess student response and performance to a classroom activity. Yet, addition of biological and physiological measures such as salivary biomarkers and galvanic skin responses are rarely included, limiting the wealth of information that can be obtained to better understand student performance. A laboratory protocol to study undergraduate students' responses to classroom events (e.g., exams) is presented. Participants were asked to complete a representative exam for their degree. Before and after the laboratory exam session, students completed an academic achievement emotions self-report and an interview that paralleled these questions when participants wore a galvanic skin sensor and salivary biomarkers were collected. Data collected from the three methods resulted in greater depth of information about students' performance when compared to the self-report. The work can expand educational research capabilities through more comprehensive methods for obtaining nearer to real-time student responses to an examination activity. PMID:26891278

Early Adolescence: Active Science for Middle Schoolers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padilla, Michael; Griffin, Nancy

1980-01-01

Describes activities appropriate for involving middle school students as active participants in the learning process. Topics discussed include archaeology, bulletin boards, dramatizations, physics experiments using the human body, oceanography, and ecology. (CS)

Sink or Swim: The Cartesian Diver.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinkerton, K. David

2001-01-01

Presents the activity of Cartesian divers which demonstrates the relationship between pressure, temperature, volume, and buoyancy. Includes both instructor information and student activity sheet. (YDS)

Student Engagement as a General Factor of Classroom Experience: Associations with Student Practices and Educational Outcomes in a University Gateway Course

PubMed Central

Shernof, David J.; Ruzek, Erik A.; Sannella, Alexander J.; Schorr, Roberta Y.; Sanchez-Wall, Lina; Bressler, Denise M.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a model for considering general and specific elements of student experience in a gateway course in undergraduate Financial Accounting in a large university on the East Coast, USA. Specifically, the study evaluated a bifactor analytic strategy including a general factor of student classroom experience, conceptualized as student engagement as rooted in flow theory, as well as factors representing specific dimensions of experience. The study further evaluated the association between these general and specific factors and both student classroom practices and educational outcomes. The sample of students (N = 407) in two cohorts of the undergraduate financial accounting course participated in the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) measuring students' classroom practices, perceptions, engagement, and perceived learning throughout the one-semester course. Course grade information was also collected. Results showed that a two-level bifactor model fit the data better than two traditional (i.e., non-bifactor) models and also avoided significant multicollinearity of the traditional models. In addition to student engagement (general factor), specific dimensions of classroom experience in the bifactor model at the within-student level included intrinsic motivation, academic intensity, salience, and classroom self-esteem. At the between-student level, specific aspects included work orientation, learning orientation, classroom self-esteem, and disengagement. Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) demonstrated that sitting in the front of the classroom (compared to the sitting in the back), taking notes, active listening, and working on problems during class had a positive effect on within-student variation in student engagement and attention. Engagement, in turn, predicted perceived learning. With respect to between-student effects, the tendency to sit in front seats had a significant effect on student engagement, which in turn had a significant effect on perceived learning and course grades. A significant indirect relationship of seating and active learning strategies on learning and course grade as mediated by student engagement was found. Support for the general aspect of student classroom experience was interpreted with flow theory and suggested the need for additional research. Findings also suggested that active learning strategies are associated with positive learning outcomes even in educational environments where possibilities for action are relatively constrained. PMID:28663733

Student Engagement as a General Factor of Classroom Experience: Associations with Student Practices and Educational Outcomes in a University Gateway Course.

PubMed

Shernof, David J; Ruzek, Erik A; Sannella, Alexander J; Schorr, Roberta Y; Sanchez-Wall, Lina; Bressler, Denise M

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a model for considering general and specific elements of student experience in a gateway course in undergraduate Financial Accounting in a large university on the East Coast, USA. Specifically, the study evaluated a bifactor analytic strategy including a general factor of student classroom experience, conceptualized as student engagement as rooted in flow theory, as well as factors representing specific dimensions of experience. The study further evaluated the association between these general and specific factors and both student classroom practices and educational outcomes. The sample of students ( N = 407) in two cohorts of the undergraduate financial accounting course participated in the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) measuring students' classroom practices, perceptions, engagement, and perceived learning throughout the one-semester course. Course grade information was also collected. Results showed that a two-level bifactor model fit the data better than two traditional (i.e., non-bifactor) models and also avoided significant multicollinearity of the traditional models. In addition to student engagement (general factor), specific dimensions of classroom experience in the bifactor model at the within-student level included intrinsic motivation, academic intensity, salience, and classroom self-esteem. At the between-student level, specific aspects included work orientation, learning orientation, classroom self-esteem, and disengagement. Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) demonstrated that sitting in the front of the classroom (compared to the sitting in the back), taking notes, active listening, and working on problems during class had a positive effect on within-student variation in student engagement and attention. Engagement, in turn, predicted perceived learning. With respect to between-student effects, the tendency to sit in front seats had a significant effect on student engagement, which in turn had a significant effect on perceived learning and course grades. A significant indirect relationship of seating and active learning strategies on learning and course grade as mediated by student engagement was found. Support for the general aspect of student classroom experience was interpreted with flow theory and suggested the need for additional research. Findings also suggested that active learning strategies are associated with positive learning outcomes even in educational environments where possibilities for action are relatively constrained.

Colorful Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Suzanne

1991-01-01

Described is an color-making activity where students use food coloring, eyedroppers, and water to make various colored solutions. Included are the needed materials and procedures. Students are asked to write up the formulas for making their favorite color. (KR)

New Paper from Newspaper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Chemical Education, 2001

2001-01-01

Describes a paper recycling experiment in which students recycle a piece of newsprint to make a new sheet of paper. Involves collection of information from the internet for the activity. Includes both instructor information and a student worksheet. (YDS)