Life Between the Grains of Sand: An Introductory Activity for Beginning Marine Education Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

This document presents the outline of a marine biology science unit designed to introduce students to the study and collection of organisms living in the intertidal zone. Details pertaining to the collection of interstitial organisms and a six-item quiz are included. (SL)

Developing `Butterfly Warriors': a Case Study of Science for Citizenship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Junjun; Cowie, Bronwen

2013-12-01

Given worldwide concern about a decline in student engagement in school science and an increasing call for science for citizenship in New Zealand Curriculum, this study focused on a butterfly unit that investigated how students in a year-4 primary classroom learnt about New Zealand butterflies through thinking, talking, and acting as citizen scientists. The butterfly unit included five lessons. The researchers observed the lessons and interviewed students and the classroom teacher. The students completed a unit evaluation survey after the unit. Findings indicate that the students enjoyed and were interested in activities such as reading about butterflies, learning and using new vocabulary, drawing butterfly life cycles, as well as hunting, tagging and releasing butterflies and publishing the data they had collected on a dedicated website. Through their participation in the unit, students had opportunities to act locally and globally, and to `see themselves' in science through `being there' experience. Units like this have the potential to develop students' interest for longer-term engagement in science, even those students who may never envision themselves as professional scientists.

A Collective Case Study of Secondary Students' Model-Based Inquiry on Natural Selection through Programming in an Agent-Based Modeling Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiang, Lin

2011-01-01

This is a collective case study seeking to develop detailed descriptions of how programming an agent-based simulation influences a group of 8th grade students' model-based inquiry (MBI) by examining students' agent-based programmable modeling (ABPM) processes and the learning outcomes. The context of the present study was a biology unit on…

The use of Global Positioning System units and ArcGIS Online to engage K-12 Students in Research Being Done in their Local Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butcher, C. E.; Sparrow, E. B.; Clucas, T.

2015-12-01

Incorporating K-12 students in scientific research processes and opportunities in their communities is a great way to bridge the gap between research and education and to start building science research capacity at an early age. One goal of the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Alaska Adapting to Changing Environments project is to engage the local community in the research as well as to share results with the people. By giving K-12 students Global Positioning System (GPS) units, and allowing them to collect and map their own data, they are being exposed to some of the research methods being used by scientists in the Alaska ACE project. This hands-on, minds-on method has been successfully used in formal education settings such as a Junior High School classroom in Nuiqsut, Alaska as well as in informal education settings such as summer camps in Barrow, Alaska and Kenai, Alaska. The students progress from mapping by hand to collecting location data with their GPS units and cameras, and imputing this information into ArcGIS Online to create map products. The data collected were from sites ranging from important places in the community to sites visited during summer camps, with students reflecting on data and site significance. Collecting data, using technology, and creating map products contribute to science skills and practices students need to conduct research of their own and to understand research being done around them. The goal of this education outreach implementation is to bring students closer to the research, understand the process of science, and have the students continue to collect data and contribute to research in their communities. Support provided for this work from the Alaska EPSCoR NSF Award #OIA-1208927 and the state of Alaska is gratefully acknowledged.

Environmental Learning Experiences for Kindergarten Through Second Grade.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willoughby-Eastlake School District, Willoughby, OH.

This collection of teaching units is one of three volumes designed to assist teachers in bringing relevant, interdisciplinary, environmental learning experiences to elementary students. This first volume is aimed at the K-2 level and deals with the immediate environment of the student. Titles of the nine units presented are: Preparing for Seasonal…

Incorporating online teaching in an introductory pharmaceutical practice course: a study of student perceptions within an Australian University.

PubMed

Benino, Diana; Girardi, Antonia; Czarniak, Petra

2011-10-01

To examine student perceptions regarding online lectures and quizzes undertaken during a pharmaceutical practice course for first year undergraduate students enrolled in the Bachelor of Pharmacy course at an Australian University. The University uses a standard instrument to collect feedback from students regarding unit satisfaction. Data were collected for three different teaching modalities: traditional face-to-face, online and partially online. Descriptive statistics support that, from a student's perspective, partial online delivery is the preferred teaching methodology for an introductory pharmaceutical practice unit. This study has served to highlight that while there are a few points of significant difference between traditional and online teaching and learning, a combination of the two provides a reasonable avenue for teaching exploration. This result has implications for teaching practice generally, and within the pharmacy discipline, specifically.

Examining curricular coherence in an exemplary elementary school program.

PubMed

Ennis, Catherine D

2008-03-01

A coherent curriculum is characterized by visible connections between purposes and experiences so that students acknowledge the content's immediate value. This study examined an exemplary elementary physical education curriculum for coherence components. Research questions examined the role of coherence in connecting and engaging students meaningfully in physical education. Observations and interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data in one program for 22 weeks. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. Results described two units, Balls Skills, leading to modified basketball, and Scooter City, a theme-based unit emphasizing student choice and responsibility. Students reported that both units were enjoyable. Although the Balls Skills unit was well planned, taught, and managed, some students commented that the skill and games content was valuable only in basketball. In the Scooter City unit, students identified numerous connections to out-of-school activities that enhanced content value. Comparisons with Beane's coherence criteria suggested that students valued Scooter City based on concrete connections to their lived experiences.

How Creativity Was Affected by Environmental Factors and Individual Characteristics: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deng, Lifang; Wang, Lijuan; Zhao, Yanyun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore how environmental factors (family environment and school education) and individual characteristics (personality, creative attitudes, and divergent thinking) collectively affect creative achievement of American and Chinese college students. Data were collected from 378 college students in the United States…

Shared Wisdom: A Collection of Proverbs, Sayings and Quotations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zmich, JoAnn, Comp.

Based on the idea that there are universal beliefs that unite people from every part of the world, this collection illustrates common sayings, stories, proverbs, and quotations from students in English-as-a-Second-Language classrooms. During the classes, students talk about their families, countries, and customs, including traditional foods and…

76 FR 32974 - Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-07

... Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The nature of the information collection is described as... Management and Budget. Affected Public: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy students and graduates, and subsidized... essential for determining if a student or graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) or...

Occupational therapy students' attitudes towards inclusion education in Australia, United Kingdom, United States and Taiwan.

PubMed

Mu, Keli; Brown, Ted; Peyton, Claudia G; Rodger, Sylvia; Huang, Yan-Hua; Wu, Chin-Yu; Watson, Callie; Stagnitti, Karen; Hutton, Eve; Casey, Jackie; Hong, Chia Swee

2010-03-01

This international, cross-cultural study investigated the attitudes of occupational therapy students from Australia, United Kingdom, United States and Taiwan towards inclusive education for students with disabilities. The possible impact of professional education on students' attitudes was also explored. A total of 485 students from 11 entry-level occupational therapy education programmes from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Taiwan participated in the study. Among them, 264 were freshmen (first-year students) and 221 were seniors (final-year students). Data collected from a custom-designed questionnaire were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. In general, the occupational therapy students reported having positive attitudes towards inclusion. Considerable differences, however, existed among the student groups from the four countries. Professional education appeared to have a significant impact on students' attitudes towards inclusion from first year to senior year. Although students were in favour of inclusion, they also cautioned that their support for inclusive practices depended on various factors such as adequate preparation, support and assistance to students with disabilities. Limitations of the study included the small, convenience sample and different degree structures of the participating programmes. Future research studies need to compare occupational therapy students' attitudes with students from other health care professions. A longitudinal study on the impact of the professional education programme on students' attitudes towards inclusive education is warranted.

Introducing Blended Learning: An Experience of Uncertainty for Students in the United Arab Emirates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemp, Linzi J.

2013-01-01

The cultural dimension of Uncertainty Avoidance is analysed in this study of an introduction to blended learning for international students. Content analysis was conducted on the survey narratives collected from three cohorts of management undergraduates in the United Arab Emirates. Interpretation of certainty with blended learning was found in:…

Titanium: The Aerospace Metal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, C. A.; And Others

This unit is one of a group of units written to fit the Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) chemistry course, but it could also be used in most Sixth Form courses. It includes: (1) a reading for students to complete at home before starting the main package; (2) a collection of group and/or individual student activities; (3) background notes…

Dignity in the Workplace: A Student Guide to Labor Unions. Connections. School and Work Transitions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merz, Harold E.; Bhaerman, Robert D.

This student guide provides instructional materials for seven units in the area of labor studies. Unit topics are introduction to labor unions, who labor in America is, collective bargaining: democracy in the workplace, preserving workers' rights: safeguards in the system, partners in education and training, partners in public service: labor…

Game Performance and Understanding within a Hybrid Sport Education Season

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farias, Cláudio Filipe; Mesquita, Isabel Ribeiro; Hastie, Peter A.

2015-01-01

The impact of a hybrid Sport Education-Invasion Games Competence Model (IGCM) unit of instruction on students' game performance and game understanding in soccer was examined in this study. Pre- and posttest measures were collected from one fifth grade class of students (n = 24, mean age 10.3) residing in Portugal during a 17-lesson unit of…

The Moral Reasoning of Sports Management Students in the United States and Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forte, Almerinda

2013-01-01

The researcher analyzed the moral reasoning ability of Sports Management students in the United States and Italy. The researcher statistically analyzed data collected through a survey questionnaire designed to measure moral reasoning. The Defining Issues Test (DIT) developed by James Rest using Kohlberg's six stages of moral judgment was used in…

Incorporating online teaching in an introductory pharmaceutical practice course: a study of student perceptions within an Australian University

PubMed Central

Benino, Diana; Girardi, Antonia; Czarniak, Petra

Objective To examine student perceptions regarding online lectures and quizzes undertaken during a pharmaceutical practice course for first year undergraduate students enrolled in the Bachelor of Pharmacy course at an Australian University. Methods The University uses a standard instrument to collect feedback from students regarding unit satisfaction. Data were collected for three different teaching modalities: traditional face-to-face, online and partially online. Results Descriptive statistics support that, from a student's perspective, partial online delivery is the preferred teaching methodology for an introductory pharmaceutical practice unit. Conclusions This study has served to highlight that while there are a few points of significant difference between traditional and online teaching and learning, a combination of the two provides a reasonable avenue for teaching exploration. This result has implications for teaching practice generally, and within the pharmacy discipline, specifically. PMID:24198864

Defaulted Student Loans. Guarantee Agencies' Collection Practices and Procedures. United States General Accounting Office Briefing Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comptroller General of the U.S., Washington, DC.

A review was conducted of methods used by the U.S. Department of Education and by state or private nonprofit loan guarantee agencies to protect the federal government's interest when collecting defaulted student loans under the Guaranteed Student Loan Program. Questionnaires were sent to 58 guarantee agencies that administer the program to…

The Student Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haselgrove, Susanne, Ed.

This collection of papers discusses the experience of students in the United Kingdom's new, mass higher education system. The papers are viewed as dispatches from the "front line" rather than conventional analyses by education researchers. The organization of the papers mirrors the stages of students' experience of higher…

Two-Year College English: Essays for a New Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Mark, Ed.

Noting that the nearly 1,400 two-year colleges in the United States enroll almost half of all students in higher education, this collection of essays discusses the students, the curriculum, and the faculty at these colleges. In essence, the collection surveys what is "on the minds" of two-year college English teachers. The essays and…

The Duty to Succeed: Honor versus Happiness in College and Career Choices of East Asian Students in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dundes, Lauren; Cho, Eunice; Kwak, Spencer

2009-01-01

To better understand factors underlying educational and career choices, this study used both survey data from an online networking tool and data collected in college classrooms to gauge differences between Asians (primarily Korean) and white students in the United States. More Asians (41%) than whites (9%) prioritized prestige over happiness,…

Probing the Natural World, Level III, Teacher's Edition: Investigating Variation. Intermediate Science Curriculum Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, John R., Ed.; Hathway, James A., Ed.

This is the teacher's edition of one of the eight units of the Intermediate Science Curriculum Study (ISCS) for level III students (grade 9). This unit focuses on diversity in human populations, measurement, and data collection. Optional excursions are described for students who wish to study a topic in greater depth. An introduction describes…

Improving undergraduate nursing research education: the effectiveness of collecting and analyzing oral histories.

PubMed

Duggleby, W

1998-09-01

Nine oral histories of retired RNs (age range from 60 to 77) were collected by trained senior nursing students in their nursing research class. Attitudes toward nursing research of the 18 undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students participating in the collection and analysis of oral histories were compared with 20 students who did not participate. Both groups of students completed a pretest and posttest Attitudes Toward Nursing Research Questionnaire. The participating students had significantly positive changes in their attitudes toward nursing research. The nonparticipating group did not. While reminiscing about their careers, the retired RNs related historical events that influenced their nursing practice. Three themes emerged: World War II, technology, and intensive care units. Through an open-ended, written questionnaire following the interview, the nurses expressed positive benefits of participation. The collection and analysis of oral histories was an effective experiential learning strategy with positive outcomes for the students and the retired nurses who were interviewed.

Contribution of student involvement in production/service unit and experience of industry practices to entrepreneurial attitude and the impact entrepeneurship readiness of vocational high school students of great Malang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukminna, Halimahtus; Isnandar, Muladi

2017-09-01

Purpose of this research was to determine the contribution of student involvement in production/ service unit (X1), experience of industry practices (X2), and entrepreneurial attitude (Y) towards readiness entrepreneurship (Z) of vocational student regional Malang. The design of the study using a quantitative approach. The samples used as many as 130 respondents. Instruments used for collecting data in the form of questionnaires. Data analysis included descriptive and test of hypothesis. The result showed: that the description of data on the level of student involvement in production/ service unit, experience of industry practices, entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurship readiness in the high category. The contribution student involvement in production/ service unit of entrepreneurial attitude of 10.6%. The contribution experience of industry practices of entrepreneurial attitude of 17.4%. The contribution student involvement in production/ service unit and experience of industry practices simultaneously to entrepreneurial attitude of 44.1%. The contribution student involvement in production/ service unit of readiness entrepreneurship of 4%. The contribution experience of industry practices of readiness entrepreneurship of 5%. The contribution entrepreneurial attitude of readiness entrepreneurship of 16%. Finally, the contribution student involvement in production/ service unit, experience of industry practices, and entrepreneurial attitude simultaneously to readiness entrepreneurship of 50.3%.

ILGWU Student Magazine, 1987/88.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Tracy, Ed.

The student magazine of the educational program sponsored by the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) is a collection of student writings. The writings are divided into the following topics: life journeys (Our Countries, Coming to the United States, and Our New Country); Our Lives (autobiographies, parents, family, remembering…

The Move to a System of Flexible Delivery Mode (Online v Paper) Unit of Study Student Evaluations at Flinders University. Management Issues and the Study of Initial Changes in Survey Volume, Response Rate and Response Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Talitha; De Bellis, David

2010-01-01

Like the vast majority of Australian universities, Flinders University (Flinders) collects feedback from students on the quality of teaching and learning through unit of study (topic) or classroom evaluations. Prior to 2009, survey instruments at Flinders were delivered via paper mode and in person to students in the classroom. In a drive for an…

Project on Teaching Charts and Graphs to ABE Students. Part I: Teacher's Guide [and] Part II: Transparency Assembly Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Renton Vocational Inst., WA.

The teacher's guide and collection of transparency masters are designed for use in teaching adult basic education (ABE) students how to read and interpret graphs and charts. Covered in the individual lessons of the instructional unit are the reading and interpretation of charts as well as picture, line, bar, and circle graphs. Each unit contains a…

Adjustment Problems of Iranian International Students in Scotland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehdizadeh, Narjes; Scott, Gill

2005-01-01

Despite the important contribution of the adjustment of international students to successful academic performance in the host country, little research has been done in the United Kingdom. The aim of this study was to collect factual information about adjustment problems of Iranian international students in Scotland, such as psycho-social and…

Thinking Like a Ssssscientist!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Catherine; Tomasek, Terry; Matthews, Catherine E.

2010-01-01

A fear of snakes developed into an opportunity to teach students about the process of science: formulating questions, collecting and analyzing data, and communicating findings to the public. By using snakes to help students "think like a scientist," the authors engaged students in a five-day unit on inquiry while providing information about snakes…

The Primary Theme Club. Home & Family.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Instructor, 1996

1996-01-01

This cross-curricular primary unit helps teachers and students get to know one another. Students collect information about their families, then create bulletin boards, class albums, graphs, and art projects. One activity is for students to invite their families into the classroom to share their projects and feast on traditional family foods. (SM)

Online Support Service Quality, Online Learning Acceptance, and Student Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jung-Wan

2010-01-01

This paper examines potential differences between Korean and American students in terms of their perception levels regarding online education support service quality, online learning acceptance, and satisfaction. Eight hundred and seventy-two samples, which were collected from students in online classes in the United States and Korea, were…

Motivating Freshman Students in a Business Management Course via Portfolios: Practice from a Greek Public University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadimitriou, Antigoni

2009-01-01

There are many ways to approach the evaluation of student learning. Portfolios, as collections of student work, are an increasingly popular assessment strategy, especially in the United States. Portfolios provide an exceptionally comprehensive picture of student learning. However, this assessment method requires extra effort to plan, to evaluate,…

Managing the Ebb and Flow: A Case for Calling Forth Student Voice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damiani, Jonathan; Wieczorek, Douglas

2017-01-01

This case study explored how a principal in a suburban elementary school in the northeastern United States empowered students and used student voice to develop his own leadership. The researchers collected and analyzed data in the form of observations, principal interviews, and student focus groups. Results and discussion describe and explain how…

The Impact of Various Demographic and Educational Attributes on International Students' Propensity to Trust School Officials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Samuel D.; Hallam, Pamela R.; Hite, Steven J.; Hite, Julie M.

2016-01-01

This study examined "propensity to trust" of students studying at a foreign university. Responses were collected from 576 international students from 71 countries attending a large private institution of higher education in the Midwestern United States. Findings indicated that students who were not native speakers of the dominant…

East Los Angeles College Student Profiles: Spring and Fall, 1979. Research Report 80-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sachs, Steven Mark

A study of the demographic make-up of the students enrolled during Spring and Fall 1979 was conducted by East Los Angeles College (ELAC) to determine how student demographics vary from semester to semester. The data, collected for students who had at least one active unit in either full- or short-term classes, profiled students by: sex; zipcode…

A Comparative Leadership Development Study within Student Collegiate Clubs and Organizations at an Agrarian University in Ukraine and a University within the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelling, Erik; Hoover, Tracy

2005-01-01

This study was conducted to explore leadership development within student collegiate clubs and organizations at an agrarian university in Ukraine. The data were then compared to a College of Agricultural Sciences at a university within the United States. The information collected in the study will serve as a basis for understanding leadership…

Authorized Course of Instruction for the Quinmester Program. Science: Introduction to Marine Science; Recreation and the Sea; Oceanography; Marine Ecology of South Florida, and Invertebrate Marine Biology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

All five units, developed for the Dade County Florida Quinmester Program, included in this collection concern some aspect of marine studies. Except for "Recreation and the Sea," intended to give students basic seamanship skills and experience of other marine recreation, all units are designed for students with a background in biology or…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashmore, M. Catherine; Pritz, Sandra G.

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

Skeletons Not Just for Halloween.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markle, Sandra; And Others

1983-01-01

A teaching unit that helps fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students learn about human and animal skeletal systems is described. The unit focuses on bone characteristics and develops basic science skills, such as observation, data collection, and making and testing hypotheses. (PP)

Student Strategies for Coping with Textbook Costs and the Role of Library Course Reserves

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christie, Anne; Pollitz, John H.; Middleton, Cheryl

2009-01-01

College and university students across the United States are concerned about the cost of textbooks. This study examines the student patterns of coping with textbook inflation and the role that course reserve collections play in ameliorating costs. In the winter of 2007, an online survey was distributed to 1,500 Oregon State University students to…

Addressing the Needs of Racially/Culturally Diverse Student Populations in Higher Education: An Analysis of Educational Practices for Disadvantaged Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pender, Matea

2010-01-01

The recent growth in the racial and cultural heterogeneity of college students in the United States has increased the demand for higher educational policies that will accommodate the needs of an increasingly diverse collective student body (Kao & Thompson, 2003). Traditionally, underrepresented minority students (i.e., African American,…

What is the Impact of Students' Ability to Choose across and within Course Modality (OL or FTF) on Course Completions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCosta, James

2013-01-01

The participants were college students who attended an accredited private college offering associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees in the western United States. The research variables included student choice of modality (either OL or FTF), the covariate was students' GPA. Data were collected from institutional records and analyzed through…

A Case Study: The Role of Student-Generated Vidcasts in K-12 Language Learner Academic Language and Content Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Lucy Santos; Inan, Fethi A.; Maushak, Nancy J.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the integration of vidcasts as student-generated products in English as a second language (ESL) classrooms. We collected qualitative data through observations, student artifacts, and semistructured interviews from 16 reading students at a public middle school located in the southwestern United States. Study…

Listening to Students from Refugee Backgrounds: Lessons for Education Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mthethwa-Sommers, Shirley; Kisiara, Otieno

2015-01-01

This article is based on a study that examined how students from refugee backgrounds cope with victimization and bullying in three urban high schools in the United States. Qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were employed. Twelve high school students from refugee backgrounds participated in the study, which involved focus group…

Student Performance in a Multimedia Case-Study Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolter, Bjorn H. K.; Lundeberg, Mary A.; Bergland, Mark; Klyczek, Karen; Tosado, Rafael; Toro, Arlin; White, C. Dinitra

2013-01-01

Does an online, multimedia case study influence students' performance, motivation, and perceptions of science in collegiate level biology classes, and if so, how? One hundred and eight students in 5 classes from 4 campuses in the United States and Puerto Rico participated in data collection (performance tests, surveys and focus group interviews).…

College Student Persistence to Degree: The Burden of Debt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robb, Cliff A.; Moody, Beth; Abdel-Ghany, Mohamed

2012-01-01

Data collected from two major universities (one in the Midwest and one in the Southeast) in the United States were used to analyze student persistence behavior and perceptions of debt. Results from four separate logistic regression analyses suggested that financial factors play a significant role in student persistence behavior as well as in…

Access Services Are Human Services: Collaborating to Provide Textbook Access to Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McElroy, Kelly; Moore, Dan; Hilterbrand, Lori; Hindes, Nicole

2017-01-01

Despite the clear negative impact of high textbook costs on students, limits--including space, funding, and policies--prevent many academic libraries from fully supporting textbook collections. Partnering with other campus units on textbook lending requires creative thinking but can provide students access to other services in addition to the…

Physical Education Undergraduate Students' Colorblind Racial Ideology and Multicultural Teaching Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burden, Joe W., Jr.; Hodge, Samuel R.; Harrison, Louis, Jr.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze links between racial ideology and multicultural teaching competencies as perceived by undergraduate students in physical education teacher education (PETE) programs. Data were collected from physical education students (N = 239) across five PETE programs in the Northeastern region of the United States via a…

In the Aftermath of War: Cultural Clashes of the Twenties. A Unit of Study for Grades 9-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gifford, Nina

This unit is a collection of lessons for teaching about cultural clashes. Based on primary sources, the unit contains teacher background materials and three lesson plans with student resources. These lessons deal with the United States between World War I and World War II. The United States emerged from World War I with seismic faults in its…

Metric Rocketry and the Three Rs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walter, Frank W.

1982-01-01

Described is a unit on rockets which begins with watching a film and ends with teams of students launching their own rockets. Activities teach students metric measuring, data collecting and graphing, report writing, and calculating, as well as group skills and model building skills. (DC)

A Social Approach to Environmental Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Kevin

1973-01-01

Describes an instructional unit designed to increase student awareness of environmental pollution and the difficulties involved in correcting the situation. Seventh grade science students collected local water samples, tested them, and reported significant pollution to state and federal authorities. Simulation game Dirty Water'' increased student…

Bridging Realty to Virtual Reality: Investigating Gender Effect and Student Engagement on Learning through Video Game Play in an Elementary School Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annetta, Leonard; Mangrum, Jennifer; Holmes, Shawn; Collazo, Kimberly; Cheng, Meng-Tzu

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine students' learning of simple machines, a fifth-grade (ages 10-11) forces and motion unit, and student engagement using a teacher-created Multiplayer Educational Gaming Application. This mixed-method study collected pre-test/post-test results to determine student knowledge about simple machines. A survey…

Collaborative Learning and Positive Experiences: Does Letting Students Choose Their Own Groups Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciani, Keith D.; Summers, Jessica J.; Easter, Matthew A.; Sheldon, Kennon M.

2008-01-01

This study used self-determination theory as a framework to examine the relationship between choice regarding group membership and student motivation within classrooms that use collaborative learning as an instructional tool. Data were collected from over 500 students across seven classrooms from a large university in the Midwestern United States.…

Uncovering Students' Environmental Identity: An Exploration of Activities in an Environmental Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blatt, Erica

2014-01-01

This study at a public high school in the Northeastern United States explores how students' environmental identities are affected by various activities in an Environmental Science course. Data was collected as part of an ethnographic study involving an Environmental Science teacher and her tenth-twelfth grade students. The results focus on…

Engagement Insights: Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education. Annual Results 2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Survey of Student Engagement, 2015

2015-01-01

In 2015, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) collected responses from more than 315,000 first-year and senior students attending 585 bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. This report presents selected NSSE results from students at 541 U.S. institutions or subsets of that group where…

Closing the Loop: The Impact of Student Feedback on Students' Subsequent Learning. Research Report Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powney, Janet; Hall, Stuart

Higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (UK) use a variety of ways to collect views from students about the quality of their educational experiences and suggestions for improvements. A small-scale study, funded by Higher Education Quality Council (QAA), explored how this feedback contributes to enhancing subsequent performance. Drawing…

A Cross-Cultural Study of Students' Behaviors and Classroom Management Strategies in the USA and Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, Sunwoo; Koh, Myung-sook

2008-01-01

The purpose of this cross-cultural study is to investigate comparative students' problem behaviors and classroom behavior management strategies for students in urban public schools between teachers in the United States and Korea. This study incorporated data collected from two different teacher self-reported survey questionnaires, the Student…

Emergent Gender Roles within Tween Popular Culture: Perspectives from Mexican American Students in a Fifth-Grade Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godina, Heriberto; Soto-Ramirez, Cynthia

2017-01-01

This study examines fifth-grade Mexican American students' beliefs about emergent gender roles. We used participant-observation methodology to conduct research on six focal-student participants selected from the general fifth-grade population at an elementary school located in the Southwestern United States. Collected data included focal-student…

Complementary Relationships between Traditional Media and Health Apps among American College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Jaehee; Lee, H. Erin; Quinlan, Margaret

2015-01-01

Objective: This study explored the potential relationships between existing media and health apps for health information among college students. Participants: This study collected and analyzed a total of 408 surveys from students of 7 universities across the United States. Methods: In order to explore the research questions and test the…

Self and Others in Team-Based Learning: Acquiring Teamwork Skills for Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betta, Michela

2016-01-01

Team-based learning (TBL) was applied within a third-year unit of study about ethics and management with the aim of enhancing students' teamwork skills. A survey used to collect students' opinions about their experience with TBL provided insights about how TBL helped students to develop an appreciation for teamwork and team collaboration. The team…

Changing Landscapes: Integrated Teaching Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitty, Helen, Ed.

This collection of teaching units developed in Australia arises from "Special Forever: An Environmental Communications Project," which enables students to develop critical awareness of their local environments and communicate this awareness effectively. The project also aims to encourage school-based action in support of the environment…

Manifestations of America from Two Museum Collections. Instructional Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babic, Sherry; Clark, Nick; Harnew, Stacey; Kenaston, Sher; Lucas, Hazel; Rowson, Ann

2001-01-01

Presents a lesson plan for 4th and 5th grade students presenting four views of U.S. artistic responses to nature, society, and technological advances. States the goal is for students to analyze, compare, and contrast how artists define the United States. (DAJ)

Solid-Waste Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Teacher, 1973

1973-01-01

Consists of excerpts from a forthcoming publication of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Student's Guide to Solid-Waste Management.'' Discusses the sources of wastes from farms, mines, factories, and communities, the job of governments, ways to collect trash, methods of disposal, processing, and suggests possible student action.…

Inspiring Future Scientists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betteley, Pat; Lee, Richard E., Jr.

2009-01-01

In an integrated science/language arts/technology unit called "How Scientists Learn," students researched famous scientists from the past and cutting-edge modern-day scientists. Using biography trade books and the internet, students collected and recorded data on charts, summarized important information, and inferred meaning from text. Then they…

ACER Physics Unit Tests: Unit Tests, Diagnostic Aids, [and] Teachers Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Council for Educational Research, Hawthorn.

The Physics Unit Tests are designed to assist in the diagnostic evaluation of students' progress in the study of physics during the last two years of secondary schooling. They consist of a collection of 21 separate tests, each related to a different topic, and 21 diagnostic aids corresponding to the tests. The topics covered are: physical…

Exploring middle school students' use of inscriptions in project-based science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hsin-Kai; Krajcik, Joseph S.

2006-09-01

This study explores seventh graders' use of inscriptions in a teacher-designed project-based science unit. To investigate students' learning practices during the 8-month water quality unit, we collected multiple sources of data (e.g., classroom video recordings, student artifacts, and teacher interviews) and employed analytical methods that drew from a naturalistic approach. The findings showed that throughout the unit, provided with the teachers' scaffold and social, conceptual, and material resources, the seventh graders were able to use various inscriptions (e.g., digital pictures, Web pages, and models) to demonstrate meaningful inscriptional practices such as creating and using inscriptions to make arguments, to represent conceptual understandings, and to engage in thoughtful discussions. Inscriptions and associated practices provided students with experiences and understandings about certain ways to organize, transform, and link data or scientific ideas. However, when constructing inscriptions, students did not consider how the inscriptions could serve certain reasoning purposes. In addition, more scaffolds were needed to help students use multiple inscriptions to make a coherent argument.

Work-Family Balance and Psychosocial Adjustment of Married International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulgan, Gökçe; Çiftçi, Ayse

2018-01-01

The authors investigated how work-family balance mediated the relationship between personality traits, gender roles, social support, and psychosocial adjustment. Data were collected from 243 married international graduate students (MIGSs) studying in the United States. Results of structural equation modeling indicated that personality traits…

Geolinde - a geographical online learning platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinmüller, Max

2017-04-01

Starting about ten years ago during a classroom project on Africa, two colleagues and me started developing an educational platform with geographic content: www.geolinde.musin.de The basic concept was to collect and present a wide range of free educational materials, which could be used by teachers, students and anyone who is interested in geography as well. Soon we found out that producing units for our students also means working on age-appropriate texts on each topic. We made our learning units matching the curriculum for Bavarian 'Gymnasium' and are still working on the improvement of each single unit, especially on the basis of suggestions by our students and our teaching experience. The main advantage in teaching with units from geolinde is that the students work at their own speed, repeat topics, use the glossary or have a look at the skill pages. Everyone uses the wide range of materials in his own way to achieve the curricular goals. Many topics contain short online tests, so that the students can control their basic understanding. The teacher is set free for giving helpful advice, discussing special questions and to monitor the learning progress. After a certain time a question and answer session follows and puts the focus on major curricular goals. Until now www.geolinde.musin.de consists of several blended learning units: Africa, Europe, Climate, Climate Change, Plate tectonics,… It also contains thematic pages on many geographical skills, a glossary of more than one thousand geographic terms and last but not least a collection of approximately 23.000 photos of places of interest all around the world. All the many thousand web pages can be used freely (CC-BY-SA 4.0). The only limitation is www.geolinde.musin.de is available in German only.

Students' Successes and Challenges Applying Data Analysis and Measurement Skills in a Fifth-Grade Integrated STEM Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glancy, Aran W.; Moore, Tamara J.; Guzey, Selcen; Smith, Karl A.

2017-01-01

An understanding of statistics and skills in data analysis are becoming more and more essential, yet research consistently shows that students struggle with these concepts at all levels. This case study documents some of the struggles four groups of fifth-grade students encounter as they collect, organize, and interpret data and then ultimately…

Shaping the Future of a Globalized World: A Qualitative Study of How Undergraduate International Students' Everyday Cross-Cultural Experiences Were Impacted by University Diversity Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkhardt, Joan; Bennett, Elisabeth E.

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand how everyday cross-cultural interactions affected the adjustment of undergraduate international students attending a private university in the northeastern United States of America. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected primarily through interviews with nine international students and…

Rituals in a School Hallway: Evidence of a Latent Spirituality of Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratcliff, Donald

A study was undertaken to examine the social actions and interactions of students and perceptions about student behavior in the school hallway. A variety of ethnographic methods of data collection were used to interview students (N=52) in grades 3, 4, and 5 in an elementary school in the Southeastern United States. This paper supports the notion…

The Role of Social Media in Shaping First-Generation High School Students' College Aspirations: A Social Capital Lens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wohn, Donghee Yvette; Ellison, Nicole B.; Khan, M. Laeeq; Fewins-Bliss, Ryan; Gray, Rebecca

2013-01-01

Using survey data collected from a sample of high school students in the United States (N = 504), this study examined how different types of social capital associated with parents, close friends, and Facebook Friends were related to students' confidence about their knowledge of the college application process and their expectations about…

Differences in Student Engagement between Latinos and Other Students at a Mid-Atlantic Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saenz Nisson, Maria Elena

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate levels of engagement as measured by the CCSSE among Latino students attending Washington National Community College (WNCC), a community college on the east coast of the United States. For this longitudinal study, the researcher compared CCSSE data collected in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 from Latino…

Building a Web in Science Instruction: Using Multiple Resources in a Swedish Multilingual Middle School Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jakobson, Britt; Axelsson, Monica

2017-01-01

This study, on the unit measuring time, examines classroom use of different resources and their affordances for students' meaning-making. The data, comprising audio and video recordings, fieldnotes, photographs and student texts, were collected during a lesson in a multilingual Swedish grade 5 classroom (students aged 11-12). In order to analyse…

Validation of Welding Curriculum Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Sheila D.

A study was conducted to validate the welding curriculum materials developed and published by the Oklahoma State Department of Vocational and Technical Education. Twelve instructors collected achievement data (unit tests, assignment sheets, and evaluation forms) concerning the performance of 280 students on a total of 46 instructional units. Item…

A Costing Model for Non Traditional Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knodle, L. L.

To facilitate college and university officials in financing the eduational needs of the nontraditional students, a method for collecting and determining the cost of providing units of instruction through various delivery mechanisms available to colleges and universities is presented. Twelve ways of delivering instructional units, eight types of…

Nature's Alphabet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyland, Barb

The purpose of this collection of environmental education units, written by teachers and environmental educators, is to develop in students a sense of wonder, curiosity, and interest about the environment. The 26 interdisciplinary activity units are designed to be used as pre-activities or follow-up activities to other outdoor studies in the…

Journalling and Public Health Education: Thinking about Reflecting...

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sendall, Marguerite C.; Domocol, Michelle L.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to understand reflective journalling in a first year Public Health practice unit. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses pure phenomenography to interpret students' descriptions of reflective journalling. Data were collected from 32 students enrolled in PUB215 Public Health Practice in the School…

Effects of Relational Authenticity on Adjustment to College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenz, A. Stephen; Holman, Rachel L.; Lancaster, Chloe; Gotay, Stephanie G.

2016-01-01

The authors examined the association between relational health and student adjustment to college. Data were collected from 138 undergraduate students completing their 1st semester at a large university in the mid-southern United States. Regression analysis indicated that higher levels of relational authenticity were a predictor of success during…

Students' Preferences for Discipline Practices in Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovegrove, Malcolm; And Others

Using data collected in Australia, the United States, and Norway, this paper discusses teachers' utilization of disciplinary techniques. Students in each country were asked to identify, from a list of 34 teacher characteristics and practices, those which were "good" and "bad." In general, the study found that the good teacher…

12,000 Students and Their English Teachers: Tested Units in Teaching Literature, Language, Composition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

College Entrance Examination Board, New York, NY. Commission on English.

Literature, language, and composition are integrated in this collection of 30 model teaching units for grades 9-12. The units are concerned with (1) the explication and comparison of novels by Hemingway, Wilder, Kipling, and Knowles, (2) short story techniques used by writers from Poe to Joyce, (3) poetic structure and themes as demonstrated in…

Solar Energy: A Middle School Unit. Environmental Education Occasional Paper No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Jack L.; Cantrell, Joseph S.

This collection of teaching activities was developed to provide teachers with guidance in presenting solar energy education to students of middle school age. The unit provides activities presenting learning opportunities involving: (1) passive solar collectors, (2) active solar collectors, (3) concentrating collectors, and (4) photovoltaic cell…

Ability Group Configuration for the High School Physics Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zitnik, Scott

This research project looks to investigate the effectiveness of different ability grouping arrangements for the high school physics classroom. Students were first organized based on their academic aptitude in physics into three general groups of high, medium, and low achieving students. They were then divided into both groups of four and dyads that were constructed in one of four arrangements, namely: random, homogeneous, heterogeneous, or student choice. Data was collected based on their academic performance as well as survey responses regarding the group and dyad performance. Students worked in a rotation of these groups and dyads for a unit to measure student preference and introduce collaborative work formally to the classes. At this point it was evident that students preferred the student choice arrangement based on survey responses, yet the student choice survey responses also resulted in the lowest level of reliability when compared to all other grouping methods. For the next unit students were kept in either the random, homogeneous, or heterogeneous grouping arrangement for the entirety of the unit. At the conclusion of the second unit student achievement as well as survey responses were analyzed. As a result of this research there appears to be a slight student preference as well as academic benefit to homogeneous group and dyad arrangements for each of the three ability groups of students in the high school physics classroom when compared to random and heterogeneous grouping methods of academic group arrangement.

Combining Distance and Face-To Teaching and Learning in Spatial Computations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulland, E.-K.; Schut, A. G. T.; Veenendaal, B.

2011-09-01

Retention and passing rates as well as student engagement in computer programming and problem solving units are a major concern in tertiary spatial science courses. A number of initiatives were implemented to improve this. A pilot study reviews the changes made to the teaching and learning environment, including the addition of new resources and modifications to assessments, and investigates their effectiveness. In particular, the study focuses on the differences between students studying in traditional, oncampus mode and distance, e-learning mode. Student results and retention rates from 2009-2011, data from in-lecture clicker response units and two anonymous surveys collected in 2011 were analysed. Early results indicate that grades improved for engaged students but pass rates or grades of the struggling cohort of students did not improve significantly.

Lexile Reading Growth as a Function of Starting Level in At-Risk Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archer, Laura E.

2010-01-01

This study investigated average yearly reading growth norms of at-risk middle school students as a function of start of year reading grade level. Data for this study were collected from an urban school in the western United States over five years and tracked the yearly growth of 2,485 seventh- and eighth-grade students using a Lexile-linked…

Anxiety, Knowledge and Help: A Model for How Black and White College Students Search for HIV/AIDS Information on the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Kim

2011-01-01

Using the "think aloud" protocol, which allows for the collection of data in real time, the researcher audio taped comments from 13 white college students from a predominately white university in the Southeastern United States and 15 black students from a predominately black university, as they explained how they searched for HIV/AIDS…

"We've Come a Long Way Baby." A Student Created Magazine by the ESL Classes of Local 155 ILGWU.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, New York, NY.

This student magazine, created by the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes of a local unit of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) is a collection of personal opinions, reports, and creative writing with illustrations. Compositions are by both individual students and groups. Selections include the account of a field trip,…

Engagement as predictors of performance in a single cohort of undergraduate chiropractic students.

PubMed

Rix, Jacqueline; Dewhurst, Philip; Cooke, Caroline; Newell, David

2017-03-01

To investigate the potential association of novel academic and nonacademic factors with chiropractic student academic performance. Students enrolled into year 1 of a chiropractic master's degree (MChiro) at our college were selected for this study. Data collected included demographics, attendance, virtual learning environment use, additional learning needs, previous degree qualifications, and summative marks. Differences between students who had to take an examination more than once (resit) and nonresit students were explored using t test and χ 2 analysis. Relationships between attendance and end-of-year marks were explored using regression analysis. Male students outperformed female students in four of the six units and as the total year average. Students who attended <80% of classes were more likely to have a resit in one or more units (relative risk [ RR] = 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-4.9). Students who performed poorly (<70%) in the semester 1 unit of a course on human structure and failed the semester 1 practical assessment of a course on clinical management were significantly more likely to have one or more resit assessments in semester 2 units ( RR = 3.5 [95% CI, 2.2-5.7]; RR = 3.2 [95% CI, 2.0-4.9]). Attendance and unit 105 were independent predictors of one or more resits at the end-of-year ( R 2 = 0.86, p < .001). Attendance and first semester summative marks were associated with end-of-year performance. As such, these markers of performance may be used to flag struggling students in the program.

Engagement as predictors of performance in a single cohort of undergraduate chiropractic students

PubMed Central

Rix, Jacqueline; Dewhurst, Philip; Cooke, Caroline; Newell, David

2018-01-01

Objective: To investigate the potential association of novel academic and nonacademic factors with chiropractic student academic performance. Methods: Students enrolled into year 1 of a chiropractic master's degree (MChiro) at our college were selected for this study. Data collected included demographics, attendance, virtual learning environment use, additional learning needs, previous degree qualifications, and summative marks. Differences between students who had to take an examination more than once (resit) and nonresit students were explored using t test and χ2 analysis. Relationships between attendance and end-of-year marks were explored using regression analysis. Results: Male students outperformed female students in four of the six units and as the total year average. Students who attended <80% of classes were more likely to have a resit in one or more units (relative risk [RR] = 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4–4.9). Students who performed poorly (<70%) in the semester 1 unit of a course on human structure and failed the semester 1 practical assessment of a course on clinical management were significantly more likely to have one or more resit assessments in semester 2 units (RR = 3.5 [95% CI, 2.2–5.7]; RR = 3.2 [95% CI, 2.0–4.9]). Attendance and unit 105 were independent predictors of one or more resits at the end-of-year (R2 = 0.86, p < .001). Conclusion: Attendance and first semester summative marks were associated with end-of-year performance. As such, these markers of performance may be used to flag struggling students in the program. PMID:29332429

Trends in the salience of data collected in a multi user virtual environment: An exploratory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tutwiler, M. Shane

In this study, by exploring patterns in the degree of physical salience of the data the students collected, I investigated the relationship between the level of students' tendency to frame explanations in terms of complex patterns and evidence of how they attend to and select data in support of their developing understandings of causal relationships. I accomplished this by analyzing longitudinal data collected as part of a larger study of 143 7th grade students (clustered within 36 teams, 5 teachers, and 2 schools in the same Northeastern school district) as they navigated and collected data in an ecosystems-based multi-user virtual environment curriculum known as the EcoMUVE Pond module (Metcalf, Kamarainen, Tutwiler, Grotzer, Dede, 2011) . Using individual growth modeling (Singer & Willett, 2003) I found no direct link between student pre-intervention tendency to offer explanations containing complex causal components and patterns of physical salience-driven data collection (average physical salience level, number of low physical salience data points collected, and proportion of low physical salience data points collected), though prior science content knowledge did affect the initial status and rate of change of outcomes in the average physical salience level and proportion of low physical salience data collected over time. The findings of this study suggest two issues for consideration about the use of MUVEs to study student data collection behaviors in complex spaces. Firstly, the structure of the curriculum in which the MUVE is embedded might have a direct effect on what types of data students choose to collect. This undercuts our ability to make inferences about student-driven decisions to collect specific types of data, and suggests that a more open-ended curricular model might be better suited to this type of inquiry. Secondly, differences between teachers' choices in how to facilitate the units likely contribute to the variance in student data collection behaviors between students with different teachers. This foreshadows external validity issues in studies that use behaviors of students within a single class to develop "detectors" of student latent traits (e.g., Baker, Corbett, Roll, Koedinger, 2008).

The United States and Canada: A Common Heritage, a Shared Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blankenship, Glen; And Others

Designed to familiarize students with Canada and how it compares and contrasts with the United States, this collection of 18 lessons is designed to be used in a variety of ways. The lessons may be used individually, infused as case studies into a variety of course topics or used as a complete unit. Each lesson is divided into six sections: lesson…

Support for the Costs of Learning. LSDA Reports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirk, Gordon

Various options for supporting the costs of learning by youths between the ages of 16 and 19 years in the United Kingdom were assessed. Currently available student support services were reviewed, and evidence documenting the link between supports and student success was presented. Data were collected from the following sources: current research on…

Impact of English Proficiency on Academic Performance of International Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martirosyan, Nara M.; Hwang, Eunjin; Wanjohi, Reubenson

2015-01-01

Using an ex-post facto, non-experimental approach, this research examined the impact of English language proficiency and multilingualism on the academic performance of international students enrolled in a four-year university located in north central Louisiana in the United States. Data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire from 59…

Mathematical Content of Curricula and Beginning Salaries of Graduating Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, B. Brian; Lee, Jungsun

2009-01-01

The authors examined an association between mathematical content in college-level curricula and beginning salaries of graduating students on the basis of data collected from a public university in the southern region of the United States. The authors classified the mathematical content requirements of the curricula into the following 5 groups…

Student Management and Human Intelligence Skills Enhanced through Community Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Stefanie Denise

2012-01-01

Based on years of human intelligence research conducted by Howard Gardner and results from a quantitative research study supporting Gardner's research collected from a sample of 205 faculty within the United States, the researcher examined students that are actively engaged in community service experiences and their approaches to reframing their…

Investigating Student Exposure to Competency-Based Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Sarah; Cox, Joshua D.

2017-01-01

In recent years, most U.S. states have revised policy by providing schools at least some flexibility to move away from the Carnegie unit system, with its focus on credits and "seat time," toward competency-based policies that link student advancement to mastery of content. Yet, there is little systematically collected information about…

The Arabs: Perception/Misperception. A Comparative View, Experimental Version.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otero, George G.

In this unit, high-school students identify and evaluate their own images of the Arabs and begin to develop more accurate perceptions of the Arabs through data analysis. Activities emphasize social studies skills, such as mapmaking and reading, use of time lines and the concept of chronology, and data collection and analysis. Students compare…

Problems and Preferences for Source of Help among United Arab Emirates University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Darmaki, Fatima Rashed

2011-01-01

This study examined common problems experienced by Emirati college students and their help-seeking preferences. A Problem Checklist was used to collect data from 450 participants. Factor analysis of the Checklist revealed three reliable factors (personal-interpersonal problems, mood problems, and academic problems). Results indicated that Emirati…

Evaluating the Impact of Collectivism and Individualism on Argumentative Writing by Chinese and North American College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Su-Yueh; Rubin, Donald L.

2000-01-01

Analyzes writing features conceptually linked to collectivist or individualist orientations among students from Taiwan and the United States. Notes that theses features were indirectness, personal disclosure, use of proverbs and other canonical expressions, collective self, and assertiveness. Makes comparisons across languages and nationalities…

Factors Affecting Student Retention at One Independent School in the Southwest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahlstrom, Dan Roger

2013-01-01

This mixed-methods case study determined the factors and examined the issues associated with student retention at a faith-based independent day school in southwestern United States of America. The data included online surveys, personal interviews, collection of archival information, and the researcher's extensive field notes. Surveys (530) were…

Sexual Coercion, Verbal Aggression, and Condom Use Consistency among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fair, Cynthia D.; Vanyur, Jennifer

2011-01-01

Objective: The relationship between condom use and 2 less visible categories of intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual coercion and verbal aggression, was examined among college students. Methods: In March 2007 a random cross-sectional sample of undergraduates from the southeast region of the United States was taken to collect information about…

Campus Law Enforcement Agencies, 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reaves, Brian A.; Goldberg, Andrew L.

To determine the nature of law enforcement services provided on campuses in the context of the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act, the U.S. Department of Justice surveyed four-year institutions of higher education in the United States with 2,500 or more students. This report presents data collected from nearly 600 campus law enforcement…

Integrating K-W-L Prompts into Science Journal Writing: Can Simple Question Scaffolding Increase Student Content Knowledge?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Brandon Joel

Writing-to-learn strategies have been administered in the past to enrich student learning. The purpose of this study was to see if K-W-L prompts in science journal writing could benefit student content knowledge within biology. Two high school biology classes were provided with learning journals. The journals given to the students during the treatment unit were provided with K-W-L question prompts to guide student learning while during the comparison unit students were given an open ended writing assignment. Pre and posttests were administered to determine student-learning gains. Student motivations and opinions of the treatment were collected through student interviews. The combined results were used to determine to what extent could K-W-L prompts in science journal writing influence comprehension of content knowledge. This study found there to be no difference in student learning gains when utilizing the K-W-L literacy strategy versus another free-writing activity. When scored, student K-W-Ls total scores did correlate to student success on unit tests. This opens up the potential for K-W-Ls to serve as an adequate tool for formative assessment. Here the K-W-L could be expanded to enrich student question asking, potentially aid students learning English, and potentially be used by students without teacher scaffolding.

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.

Homeschooling in the United States: 2012. NCES 2016-096

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redford, Jeremy; Battle, Danielle; Bielick, Stacey

2016-01-01

Since 1999, the National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES), conducted by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the Institute of Education Sciences, has collected nationally representative data that can be used to estimate the number of homeschooled students in the United States. This report…

Teaching Economics Conference (5th, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, February 10-12, 1994).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudley, Bobby G., Ed.

This collection of 21 papers delivered by university professors and other representatives from throughout the United States focuses on economics teaching in the classroom from a variety of perspectives. The papers include: (1) "Internationalizing the Curriculum: The United States in a Global Economy: International Issues for the Beginning Student"…

Mi Lengua: Spanish as a Heritage Language in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roca, Ana, Ed.; Colombi, M. Cecilia, Ed.

This collection of papers includes the following: (1) "Insights from Research and Practice in Spanish as a Heritage Language" (M. Cecilia Colombi and Ana Roca); (2) "Toward a Theory of Heritage Language Acquisition: Spanish in the United States" (Andrew Lynch); (3) "Profiles of SNS Students in the Twenty-First Century:…

The Emergence of Community in a Preservice Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sumsion, Jennifer; Patterson, Catherine

2004-01-01

This paper traces the unexpected emergence of community in a recently reconceptualized Teachers as Researchers unit in a preservice teacher education program. Drawing on data collected from 145 of the 292 students who completed the unit, we chronicle and theorize about key events, tensions, and dynamics in the evolution of the community, and…

Teaching Teachers to Play and Teach Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Steven; McNeill, Michael; Fry, Joan; Wang, John

2005-01-01

This study was designed to determine the extent to which a technical and a tactical approach to teaching a basketball unit to physical education teacher education (PETE) students would each affect their games playing abilities, perceived ability to teach, and approach preference for teaching the game. Pre- and post-unit data were collected through…

Water Pressure. Water in Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Carly Sporer

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning units were created for K-12 students. This unit, "Water…

Water-Borne Illnesses. Water in Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Carly Sporer

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning units were created for K-12 students. This unit, "Water-Borne…

Narrative vs. Expository Texts. Water in Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Carly Sporer

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning units were created for K-12 students. This unit, "Narrative…

Photomontage. Water in Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKoski, David

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning units were created for K-12 students. This unit,…

Muslim Women through the Centuries: A Unit of Study for Grades 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aghaie, Kamran Scot

This collection of lessons broadens the scope of students' understanding of historical topics. Traditional historical topics are addressed and new perspectives are offered. Lesser known historical topics also are addressed to help give a more thorough understanding. This teaching unit is based on primary sources taken from documents, artifacts,…

Empowerment of nursing students in the United Kingdom and Japan: a cross-cultural study.

PubMed

Bradbury-Jones, Caroline; Irvine, Fiona; Sambrook, Sally

2007-08-01

This paper is a report of a study to explore the phenomenon of empowerment cross-culturally by comparing the situations in which nursing students from the United Kingdom and Japan experienced empowerment and disempowerment in clinical practice. Empowerment has been the focus of many studies, but most focus on the experience of Registered Nurses and few have explored the phenomenon cross-culturally. This was a cross-cultural, comparative study using the critical incident technique. Anonymous written data were collected from nursing students in Japan and United Kingdom between November 2005 and January 2006. Japanese data were translated and back-translated. Analysis of the transcripts revealed three themes: Learning in Practice, Team Membership, Power. Nursing students in these countries are exposed to different educational and clinical environments, but their experiences of empowerment and disempowerment are similar. For both, learning in practice, team membership and power are associated with either empowerment or disempowerment; depending on the context. United Kingdom students are aware of the importance of acting as patient advocates, although they cannot always find the voice to perform this. Japanese students however, appear to be unaware of the concept of advocacy. Student nurse empowerment may transcend cultural differences, and learning in practice, team membership and power may be important for the empowerment of nursing students globally. Further cross-cultural exploration is required into the association between advocacy and empowerment.

Effectiveness of Student Learning during Experimental Work in Primary School.

PubMed

Logar, Ana; Peklaj, Cirila; Ferk Savec, Vesna

2017-09-01

The aim of the research was to optimize the effectiveness of student learning based on experimental work in chemistry classes in Slovenian primary schools. To obtain evidence about how experimental work is implemented during regular chemistry classes, experimental work was videotaped during 19 units of chemistry lessons at 12 Slovenian primary schools from the pool of randomly selected schools. Altogether 332 eight-grade students were involved in the investigation, with an average age of 14.2 years. Students were videotaped during chemistry lessons, and their worksheets were collected afterward. The 12 chemistry teachers, who conducted lessons in these schools, were interviewed before the lessons; their teaching plans were also collected. The collected data was analyzed using qualitative methods. The results indicate that many teachers in Slovenian primary schools are not fully aware of the potential of experimental work integrated into chemistry lessons for the development of students' experimental competence. Further research of the value of different kinds of training to support teachers for the use of experimental work in chemistry teaching is needed.

Debt Collection: More Aggressive Action Needed To Collect Debts Owed by Health Professionals. United States General Accounting Office Report to the Honorable John R. Kasich, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

The General Accounting Office (GAO) reviewed and evaluated debt collection activities of five programs of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) that provide financial assistance to health professions students and medical facilities. The principal findings include: (1) HRSA changes have improved delinquency rates; however, large…

An emergency dental service for students: 4-year findings.

PubMed

Sinclair, J; Wilson, N H

1997-06-01

To describe the arrangements for the provision of emergency dental services for students at the University of Manchester and to report data collected during the first four and a half years of the student emergency dental services (SEDS) unit based at the University Dental Hospital of Manchester. Data pertaining to every student attending SEDS since its inception were collected by means of questionnaire including provision to record diagnoses, treatment needs and the emergency care provided. The incidence of dental emergencies within the student population served by SEDS has been found to be 39 emergencies per 1000 students per annum, with the service being most heavily used by overseas students. Caries, pulpal pathology and failed restorations account for 46 per cent of the presenting emergencies, with pericoronitis (19 per cent) and other emergencies of periodontal origin (14 per cent) being common place. It is concluded that a student emergency dental service may be found to be an important element of student medical and related welfare services.

Library and Archives of Canada Collections as Resources for Classroom Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sly, Gordon

2006-01-01

This article promotes the online use of primary documents from Library and Archives of Canada (LAC) collections by high school students conducting historical inquiry into a major historic event in Canada's past. It outlines a unit of seven history lessons that the author wrote for the "Learning Centre" at…

Exploring Earth Systems Through STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Loris; Salmon, Jennifer; Burns, Courtney

2015-04-01

During the 2010 school year, grade 8 science teachers at Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School in Wyckoff, New Jersey, began using the draft of A Framework for K-12 Science Education to transition to the Next Generation Science Standards. In an evolutionary process of testing and revising, teachers work collaboratively to develop problem-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) units that integrate earth science, physical science, and life science topics. Students explore the interconnections of Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere through problem-based learning. Problem-based learning engages students in (1) direct observations in the field and classroom, (2) collection and analysis of data from remote sensors and hand-held sensors, and (3) analysis of physical, mathematical, and virtual models. Students use a variety of technologies and applications in their investigations, for example iPad apps, Google Classroom, and Vernier sensors. Data from NASA, NOAA, non-government organizations, and scientific research papers inspire student questions and spark investigations. Teachers create materials and websites to support student learning. Teachers curate reading, video, simulations, and other Internet resources for students. Because curriculum is standards-based as opposed to textbook-based, teacher participation in workshops and institutes frequently translates into new or improved study units. Recent programs include Toyota International Teacher Program to Costa Rica, Japan Society Going Global, Siemens STEM Academy, U.S. Naval Academy SET Sail, and NJSTA Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award Summer Institute. Unit themes include weather and climate, introduction to general chemistry and biochemistry, and cells and heredity. Each if the three 12-week units has embedded engineering challenges inspired by current events, community needs, and/or the work of scientists. The unit segments begin with a problem, progress to observations and data collection, and end with an engineering application. English language arts and mathematics skills are developed through performance assessments that include written arguments that require students to state a claim and support the claim with evidence, analysis, and reasoning. Student selected capstone projects are completed during the final three weeks of the school year. Partnerships with universities, research scientists, and science centers are essential to the development of unit challenges. Collaborative projects have included studies of iron cycling in the Ross Sea with scientists from Rutgers University, climate and climate change using NASA data and resources from Liberty Science Center, human and natural impacts on endangered species with San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and air quality monitoring with the University of Northern Iowa. Grant funds have supported student research projects involving air quality improvement, urban heat island mitigation, alternative energies, and sustainability.

Preventing Dust Collection: Transforming Student Affairs Strategic Planning into Tangible Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Simone Himbeault; Matney, Malinda M.

2007-01-01

The Division of Student Affairs at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor engaged in an iterative strategic process to create and implement a set of long-range goals. This strategic journey continues to evolve, uniting a guiding framework of strategic planning steps, a reflective process with an assessment component within each step, and a group…

Examining How Professional Development Impacted Teachers and Students of U.S. History Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffield, Stacy; Wageman, Justin; Hodge, Angela

2013-01-01

A causal-comparative, mixed methods design was used to study a partnership between a university and school district formed with the goal of improving history teachers' United States history content knowledge to raise student engagement and achievement. Data were collected from middle and high school history teachers including teacher interviews,…

Examination of Self-Determination within the Sport Education Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perlman, Dana J.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the Sport Education Model (SEM) on students' self-determined motivation and underlying psychological need(s) in physical education. A total of 182 Year-9 students were engaged in 20 lesson units of volleyball, using either the SEM or a traditional approach. Data was collected using a…

Urban Middle School Students' Perceptions of the Value and Difficulty of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandoval, William A.; Harven, Aletha M.

2011-01-01

Following their participation in a guided-inquiry unit, 129 seventh-graders from five diverse urban middle schools were asked about their perceptions of specific inquiry tasks, from an expectancy-value framework. Students were asked to rate the interest value, utility value, and task difficulty of (a) data collection design; (b) explanation; (c)…

Making a Living: What We Did, What We Do, Want We Want To Do.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, New York, NY.

The writings included in this student-produced publication are those of students in the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union's (ILGWU's) Worker-Family Education Program technical and English-as-a-Second-Language classes at a Bronx (New York) local unit. The collection of writings consists of personal narratives, interviews, dialogues,…

Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS) [machine-readable data file].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arkansas State Dept. of Education, Little Rock. General Education Div.

The Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS) machine-readable data file (MRDF) is a collection of education and health data on more than 750,000 migrant children in grades K-12 in the United States (except Hawaii), the District of Columbia, and the outlying territories of Puerto Rico and the Mariana and Marshall Islands. The active file…

Teaching and Learning about Matter in Grade 6 Classrooms: A Conceptual Change Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pimthong, Pattamaporn; Yutakom, Naruemon; Roadrangka, Vantipa; Sanguanruang, Sudjid; Cowie, Bronwen; Cooper, Beverley

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to enhance the teaching and learning of matter and its properties for grade 6 students. The development of a conceptual change approach instructional unit was undertaken for this purpose. Pre- and post-concept surveys, classroom observations, and student and teacher interviews were used to collect data. The teaching…

Latino Students in American Schools: Historical and Contemporary Views.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kloosterman, Valentina I., Ed.

This collection of papers presents a historical account of how Latino students experience the U.S. school system from a Latino perspective. The 11 papers are: (1) "Contested Learning: Latino Education in the United States from the 1500s to the Present" (Guadalupe San Miguel, Jr.); (2) "Faces of the Future: Latino Children in Early Childhood…

Special Issue: Campus Unions: Organized Faculty and Graduate Students in U.S. Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Timothy Reese

2017-01-01

The unionization of instructional workers is a central feature of U.S. higher education, with more than a quarter of those teaching college classes covered by collectively bargained contracts. Though dated, the best existing numbers indicate that more than 430,000 faculty members, graduate students, and related personnel are in bargaining units;…

Improving Interactions: The Effects of Implementing the Fight-Free Schools Violence Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahsl, Allison J.; Luce, Amanda E.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Fight-Free Schools violence prevention process had an effect on the frequency of aggressive acts of elementary school students. Participants included approximately 600 students ranging from Kindergarten to 5th grade in a suburban school in the Midwestern United States. Data were collected over…

Race and Leadership Development among College Students: The Additive Value of Collective Racial Esteem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dugan, John P.; Kodama, Corinne M.; Gebhardt, Matthew C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research was to contribute to the college student leadership literature through a more complex examination of the influences of race on socially responsible leadership development. Data represented 8,510 participants from 101 colleges and universities in the United States. Results provided evidence of the additive value of…

Tablet PC: A Preliminary Report on a Tool for Teaching Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorgievski, Nicholas; Stroud, Robert; Truxaw, Mary; DeFranco, Thomas

2005-01-01

This study examined students' perceptions of the Tablet PC as an instructional tool for teaching Calculus. A thirteen item survey was developed by the researchers and administered to 103 students in an introductory Calculus course at a large university in the Northeast of the United States. The purpose of this survey was to collect data regarding…

Perceptions of Nursing Education Administrators Regarding the Relationship of Admission Criteria to Student Graduation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cline, Joy F.

2013-01-01

This research investigated admission criteria of baccalaureate nursing students related to their success in a multi-state sample of peer universities in the United States. The researcher used mixed methods to collect data that were analyzed using descriptive and phenomenological approaches. The sample of the study was chairpersons from peer…

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study of Emotional and Cultural Intelligence of International Students in the United States of America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Rohan

2018-01-01

This phenomenological study examined the role of emotional and cultural intelligence in the social integration of international students. The study included nine participants who were selected using purposeful sampling. The researcher used five main interview questions to guide the data-collection process. The questions were designed to help…

A Physics MOSAIC: Scientific Skills and Explorations for Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

May, S.; Clements, C.; Erickson, P. J.; Rogers, A.

2010-12-01

A 21st century education needs to teach students how to manage information in an ever more digital age. High school students (like all of us) are inundated with information, and informed citizenship increasingly depends on the ability to be a critical consumer of data. In the scientific community, experimental data from remote, high quality systems are becoming increasingly available in real time. The same networks providing data also allow scientists to use the ubiquity of internet access to enlist citizen scientists to help with research. As a means of addressing and leveraging these trends, we describe a classroom unit developed as part of the NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program at MIT Haystack Observatory in the summer of 2010. The unit uses accessible, real-time science data to teach high school physics students about the nature and process of scientific research, with the goal of teaching how to be an informed citizen, regardless of eventual vocation. The opportunity to study the atmosphere provides increased engagement in the classroom, and students have an authentic experience of asking and answering scientific questions when the answer cannot simply be found on the Web. MOSAIC (Mesospheric Ozone System for Atmospheric Investigations in the Classroom) is a relatively inexpensive tool for measuring mesospheric ozone by taking advantage of the sensitivity of commercially produced satellite TV dishes to the 11.072545 GHz rotational transition of ozone. Because the signal from ozone in the lower atmosphere is pressure-broadened, the system is able to isolate the signal from the 1% of Earth’s ozone that comes from the mesosphere. Our teaching unit takes advantage of measurements collected since 2008 from six East Coast observing sites at high schools and colleges. Data are available online within a day of their collection, and an easy to use web interface allows students to track mesospheric ozone in frequency, time of day, or day of year. The MOSAIC unit begins with a series of activities and lessons designed to take advantage of the large data sets MOSAIC is collecting all the time to teach students about measurement, uncertainty, and data analysis. The curriculum develops an intuitive approach to thinking about numbers in science, focusing on both implicit and explicit expressions of uncertainty. Our teaching unit concludes with a final research project to provide students with the opportunity to pursue an area of interest within mesospheric ozone. This project is conceived in such a way that it can be as self-directed as a teacher or student needs. Given current concern for the state of our atmosphere and ozone, MOSAIC provides a unique opportunity for student engagement in an area of scientific research that has not been extensively explored. MOSAIC data can be compared with online resources for other atmospheric, astronomical, or geophysical data, and have been analyzed for the effects of such variables as seasonal and solar flux variations, lunar phases, shuttle and rocket launches, and sudden stratospheric warming events.

Career Related Math Units for General Math 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grotenhuis, Paul; Purcell, Carol

In this collection of four career-oriented units designed to enhance a ninth grade general math curriculum, the objectives listed are (1) to provide a job oriented environment in which students are encouraged to develop responsible attitudes toward employer and self and to find interest areas to use as the basis for career choices, (2) to provide…

Agriculture for Little People. Publication No. 0004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gasior, Albert G.

The document is a collection of teacher guides to sample units introducing agriculture at the primary level; part or all of the units can be used along with the regular curriculum during the school year. Intended to acquaint K-3 students with agriculture's important role, the purpose of the course is to impart basic knowledge of materials, tools,…

[North Carolina Gifted and Talented Minigrant Curriculum Projects: Two Biology Projects].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Mary L.; McGrady, Katherine K.

Overviews of two biology units for junior and senior high school gifted and talented students are presented. The Durham North Carolina City School units are entitled, "The Identification, Collection, and Control of the Japanese Beetle through the Growth of Roses and Lawn Care" and "Treasure along the Nantahala River." The first, an entomology unit…

Utilizing Building Usage Assessment: Determining Deployment of Student Workers in an Academic Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buller, Ryan F.

2014-01-01

Generating, collecting, and analyzing building usage statistics can greatly increase the ability of an access services unit to meet the changing dynamic of patron needs in an academic library. By analyzing three different data points, the Access Services Unit in Malpass Library at Western Illinois University was able to determine the most…

Current Methods in Health Behavior Research Among U.S. Community College Students: A Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Pokhrel, Pallav; Little, Melissa A.; Herzog, Thaddeus A.

2016-01-01

The majority of health behavior research involving college students in the United States has focused on 4-year college students. Two-year or community college students have been less studied, although a significant proportion of U.S. undergraduates, primarily those from disadvantaged socioeconomic and/or racial/ethnic background, are enrolled in community colleges. Thus, there is a need to enhance health behavior and health promotion research among community college students. This study systematically reviewed 42 published, peer-reviewed health behavior studies conducted among U.S. community college students in order to determine the current state of research in the area with regard to behaviors studied, research designs used, recruitment and data collection strategies practiced, rates of student participation, and characteristics of the participants represented. Findings identified the methodological limitations of current research and suggested optimal recruitment and data collection methods suitable for various research needs. Findings are discussed in the context of enhancing health behavior research among U.S. community college students. PMID:24227658

Rape Myth Acceptance in Contemporary Times: A Comparative Study of University Students in India and the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Barn, Ravinder; Powers, Ráchael A

2018-05-01

Much of the literature on rape, victim blaming, and rape myth acceptance is focused on the United States, and there is a general dearth of such scholarly activity in other countries. This article offers insights on university students' perspectives in two new country contexts-India and the United Kingdom. A total of 693 students contributed to the data collection for this study. Rape myth acceptance was fairly low for both countries, however, students in India were more likely to endorse rape myths. Several demographic characteristics were significant for rape myth acceptance in each country. This study makes an important contribution to the extant literature to address paucity of knowledge and promote understandings to help develop country-specific and appropriate policy, practice, and education and awareness programs. In particular, the study provides novel comparative findings on rape myth acceptance in new country contexts to help advance academic thinking in this area of work.

Diversity, attrition and transition into nursing.

PubMed

Mulholland, Jon; Anionwu, Elizabeth N; Atkins, Richard; Tappern, Mike; Franks, Peter J

2008-10-01

This paper is a report of a study to explore the relationship between selected diversity variables (sex, country of birth, ethnicity, age, educational qualifications, and additionally visa status, application route, absence rates), and nursing students' progression and attrition. Debates on levels, forms and causation of nursing student attrition have been professional, academic and political concerns for some time on an international level. However, a more systematic approach to studying the topic is needed. We lack commonly operationalized national and international data on the relationship between attrition and diversity variables, and their implications for cost, social justice and demographic representativeness in nursing. A longitudinal cohort design was used. Data were collected from 2003 to 2005 from routinely collected data in student records. Males had lower odds of completing the programme than females, as did younger students. Compared with United Kingdom-born students, those born in Ireland, Zimbabwe, or other English-speaking countries were more likely to complete the programme. Students born overseas in non-English-speaking countries did not differ statistically significantly from United Kingdom-born students. Those at all qualification levels had similar odds of completion, except students already qualified at degree level, who were less likely to complete. Further national and international research is needed to understand better the causal variables underpinning differential attrition rates, with particular regard to understanding how different groups may experience the relationship between education and their broader circumstances and between the theoretical and the clinical elements of nurse education itself.

Teaching the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Undergraduate Students through a Role-Play Experiential Learning Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Konrad S.; Thue, Matthew I.

2017-01-01

This article begins with a description of a role-play exercise for teaching the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) to an introductory Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Law (Business Law) undergraduate class. It goes on to provide the context for consumer debt in the United States. Next, the problems of debt collection are…

Teaching and Learning the Elements of Argumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Untereiner, Brian

Kim, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Departmental Member iii Abstract Supervisory Committee Dr. Robert Anthony, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor Dr. Mijung Kim, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Departmental Member In this study I investigated the interactions of 25 Grade 8 science students as they learned how to construct oral arguments using the Toulmin Argumentation Pattern framework. I collected the data during three recorded small group discussion sessions during a five week Earth Science unit between February and March of 2011. The first session recorded the students' discussions prior to receiving either argumentation instruction or the science concept instruction. The second session recorded their discussions after receiving an introduction to argumentation and a scaffold, but not concept instruction. During the three weeks preceding the third session, the students received additional argumentation instruction and completed one-third of the Earth Science unit. The results showed the students collectively made more arguments during each subsequent session. The students' individual arguments showed a correspondence between their purportedly most familiar topics and the most discussed topics. I also found that when students made counter arguments and/or invited or challenged group members to participate, their discussions contained comparatively more argument elements (claims, data and warrants) than discussions containing predominantly collaborative assertions. The key outcome of this study for developing students' use of the elements of argumentation during classroom discussions was to recognize and incorporate opportunities for the students to tap into their prior-knowledge. To engage students in this process, the results indicate the importance of creating time for discussions relevant to the curriculum and to the students.

Curricular Policy as a Collective Effects Problem: A Distributional Approach

PubMed Central

Penner, Andrew M.; Domina, Thurston; Penner, Emily K.; Conley, AnneMarie

2015-01-01

Current educational policies in the United States attempt to boost student achievement and promote equality by intensifying the curriculum and exposing students to more advanced coursework. This paper investigates the relationship between one such effort -- California's push to enroll all 8th grade students in Algebra -- and the distribution of student achievement. We suggest that this effort is an instance of a “collective effects” problem, where the population-level effects of a policy are different from its effects at the individual level. In such contexts, we argue that it is important to consider broader population effects as well as the difference between “treated” and “untreated” individuals. To do so, we present differences in inverse propensity score weighted distributions to investigate how this curricular policy changed the distribution of student achievement more broadly. We find that California's attempt to intensify the curriculum did not raise test scores at the bottom of the distribution, but did lower scores at the top of the distribution. These results highlight the efficacy of inverse propensity score weighting approaches for estimating collective effects, and provide a cautionary tale for curricular intensification efforts and other policies with collective effects. PMID:26004485

76 FR 39966 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collections: ECA/P/V Youth and Leadership Survey Questions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

.../V Youth and Leadership Survey Questions ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission... Leadership Programs: Pre Program Survey Questions. OMB Control Number: None. Type of Request: New Collection... focus on youth and leadership. Specifically the programs that bring students to the United States. For...

Worldviews, Criticisms, and the Peer Circle: A Study of the Experiences of a Student Teacher in an Overseas School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karaman, A. Cendel; Tochon, Francois V.

2010-01-01

This article explores international student teaching (IST) within the narratives of a prospective language teacher from the midwestern region of the United States. With a focus on one participant, the case study highlights significant factors that relate to the IST experience in Ecuador. A corpus generated from verbal protocols collected over a…

Understanding Black Male Student Athletes' Experiences at a Historically Black College/University: A Mixed Methods Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Joseph N.; Hall, Jori

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe how a mixed methods approach was employed to acquire a better understanding of Black male student athletes' experiences at a historically Black college/university in the southeastern United States. A concurrent triangulation design was incorporated to allow different data sources to be collected and…

Entomology for Agricultural Science II Core Curriculum. Instructor Guide, Volume 23, Number 2, and Student Reference, Volume 23, Number 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFelice, Karen L.

This unit is a basic introduction to entomology. The instructor guide and the corresponding student reference contain seven lessons: (1) introduction to entomology; (2) insect collection; (3) insect identification; (4) methods of control; (5) chemical control measures; (6) safe use of insecticides; and (7) integrated pest management. Students…

Microfossils from the Local Marine Environment. A Learning Experience for Coastal and Oceanic Awareness Studies, No. 219. [Project COAST].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delaware Univ., Newark. Coll. of Education.

This unit on fossils is designed for junior high school students. Students collect a sediment sample, process the sample, and examine it for microfossils. The scientific classification and naming of microfossils is not stressed. Included in the materials are evaluation items, background materials for teachers, lists of needed materials, vocabulary…

"Different than Us": Othering, Orientalism, and US Middle School Students' Discourses on Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inokuchi, Hiromitsu; Nozaki, Yoshiko

2005-01-01

This study critically examines the discourses of Japan as employed by young people in the United States. In particular, it analyses the free writings of US middle school students that were collected at three schools with different community environments (rural, urban, and suburban). The study identifies the features and styles of the discourse(s)…

Influence of Teacher Support and Personal Relevance on Academic Self-Efficacy and Enjoyment of Mathematics Lessons: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aldridge, Jill M.; Afari, Ernest; Fraser, Barry J.

2012-01-01

The purpose of our study was to examine the effects of two psychosocial features of the classroom environment (teacher support and personal relevance) on college students' academic self-efficacy and enjoyment of mathematics lessons. Data collected from 352 mathematics students attending three higher education institutions in the United Arab…

Tech Prep Implementation and Preliminary Student Outcomes for Eight Local Tech Prep Consortia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bragg, Debra D.; Dare, Donna E.; Reger, W. M., IV; Ovaice, Ghazala; Zamani, Eboni M.; Layton, James D.; Dornsife, Carolyn J.; Vallee, Manuel; Brown, Carrie H.; Orr, Margaret Terry

The implementation and student outcomes of Tech Prep were examined in a study of eight consortia that represented a range of Tech Prep models and approaches in urban, suburban, and rural locations across the United States. Data were collected from the following sources: field visits; follow-up survey of Tech Prep participants and nonparticipants;…

Connecting Analytics and Curriculum Design: Process and Outcomes of Building a Tool to Browse Data Relevant to Course Designers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunbar, Robert L.; Dingel, Molly J.; Prat-Resina, Xavier

2014-01-01

The disconnect between data collection and analysis across academic and administrative units within institutions of higher education makes it challenging to incorporate diverse data into curricular design. Understanding the factors related to student retention and success is unlikely to occur by focusing on only one unit at a time. By promoting…

An Exploratory Study into the Use of Psychology Participant Panels in Psychology Departments in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perham, Nick; Hodgetts, Helen; Sanders, Lalage D.; Heggs, Daniel

2017-01-01

Psychology Participant Pools (PPP) are known to be used within psychology departments in the United Kingdom as a way to promote understanding of psychological research and as a means to aid students and researchers to collect data. However, there is currently no information regarding the different practices undertaken in each department. This…

Water: A Source of Life and Culture. Water in Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKoski, David

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning units were created for K-12 students. This unit, "Water as a…

Black South Africans in the United States: An Analysis of Their Educational and Practical Training Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Beth S.; Kreidle, Ann M.

A study was done of the experiences of Black South Africans who came to the United States for education and training. The research studied 140 individuals who participated in two programs between 1980 and 1991. Data were collected from the student files and from standard university data from "Profiles of American Colleges" by Barron's…

dETECT: A Model for the Evaluation of Instructional Units for Teaching Computing in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Wangenheim, Christiane G.; Petri, Giani; Zibertti, André W.; Borgatto, Adriano F.; Hauck, Jean C. R.; Pacheco, Fernando S.; Filho, Raul Missfeldt

2017-01-01

The objective of this article is to present the development and evaluation of dETECT (Evaluating TEaching CompuTing), a model for the evaluation of the quality of instructional units for teaching computing in middle school based on the students' perception collected through a measurement instrument. The dETECT model was systematically developed…

Establishing the need for nutrition education: I. Methodology.

PubMed

Vaden, A G; Newell, G K; Dayton, A D; Foley, C S

1983-10-01

Developmental and data collection phases for a comprehensive needs assessment project designed to provide baseline data for planning a statewide nutrition education and training project are summarized. To meet project objectives, 97 Kansas elementary schools were selected randomly as sampling units. A mail questionnaire was used to assess nutrition knowledge and attitudes and dietary and nutrition education practices of elementary teachers and food service personnel. Data from fifth grade students were collected on-site at each school. A written test was used to measure students' nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Students' nutritional status was partially assessed by measuring their height, weight, skinfold thickness, and upper arm circumference. As an additional assessment, 24-hour dietary recall interviews were conducted with a random sample of the students. In this article, each aspect of the data collection methodology is described in detail. As emphasized by authorities in the field, more complete information is needed in many nutrition survey reports to assist in useful interpretations and for comparisons among studies.

The role of differentiation and standards-based grading in the science learning of struggling and advanced learners in a detracked high school honors biology classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, Michelina Ruth Carter

The accountability movement in education resulting from the passage of The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has brought to light the disparities that exist in student achievement in the United States which play out along racial and socioeconomic lines. Three educational practices hold promise for reducing this achievement gap: differentiated instruction, standards-based assessment, and elimination of academic tracking. The purpose of this practitioner research study was to examine the ways that differentiation and standards-based assessment can support struggling learners and challenge advanced learners in a detracked, honors biology classroom. To gain insight into the role that differentiation and standards-based assessment played in supporting struggling and advanced learners, I used practitioner research to examine the development and implementation of a differentiated, standards-based instructional unit around the conceptual topic of protein synthesis. I collected multiple data pieces for 10 students in the study: two advanced learners, four struggling learners, and four strong learners who struggled in biology. Data analyzed included formative, self-, and summative assessment results; student artifacts; informal and formal student interviews; and, a practitioner reflection journal chronicling critical incidents and actions taken during the development and implementation of this unit and notes from peer debriefing during and following the unit's implementation. As I analyzed the data collected, my four findings fell into two overarching categories related to student grouping. My first three findings reflect what I learned about homogeneous grouping: (1) Pre-assessment based on unit outcomes is not useful for determining groups for tiered instruction; (2) Decisions about differentiation and grouping for differentiation must be made in the act of teaching using formative assessment results; and, (3) Flexible grouping structures are effective for both struggling and advanced learners. My fourth finding reflects what I learned about heterogeneous grouping: (4) Heterogeneously grouping students for argumentation through engagement in science inquiry serves both to reinforce proficiency of learning goals for struggling learners and simultaneously push all learners towards advanced proficiency. These findings indicate how planning for and implementing a differentiated, standards-based instructional unit can support the learning needs of both struggling and advanced learners in a detracked, honors biology classroom.

Integrating a New Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology Course Sequence into the PharmD Curriculum

PubMed Central

Engels, Melanie; Garcia, George

2015-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the implementation of an integrated medicinal chemistry/pharmacology course sequence and its alignment with a therapeutics series. Design. Each topic was divided into modules consisting of 2-hour blocks, and the content was integrated and aligned with the therapeutics series. Recitation sessions emphasizing application skills in an interactive environment followed each of three 2-hour blocks. To ensure that students achieved competency in each unit, students failing any unit examination were encouraged to undergo remediation. Assessment. Student feedback was collected by an independent researcher through social media and focus groups and relayed anonymously to course directors for midcourse improvements. Responses from surveys, interviews, and student ratings of faculty members and of courses were used to implement changes for future editions of the courses. Conclusion. The majority of students and faculty members felt the integration and alignment processes were beneficial changes to the curriculum. Elements of the new sequence, including remediation, were viewed positively by students and faculty members as well. PMID:25741029

Climate Change Professional Development: Design, Implementation, and Initial Outcomes on Teacher Learning, Practice, and Student Beliefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea, Nicole A.; Mouza, Chrystalla; Drewes, Andrea

2016-04-01

In this work, we present the design, implementation, and initial outcomes of the Climate Academy, a hybrid professional development program delivered through a combination of face-to-face and online interactions, intended to prepare formal and informal science teachers (grades 5-16) in teaching about climate change. The Climate Academy was designed around core elements of successful environmental professional development programs and aligned with practices advocated in benchmarked science standards. Data were collected from multiple sources including observations of professional development events, participants' reflections on their learning, and collection of instructional units designed during the Academy. Data were also collected from a focal case study teacher in a middle school setting. Case study data included classroom observations, teacher interviews, and student beliefs toward climate change. Results indicated that the Climate Academy fostered increased learning among participants of both climate science content and pedagogical strategies for teaching about climate change. Additionally, results indicated that participants applied their new learning in the design of climate change instructional units. Finally, results from the case study indicated positive impacts on student beliefs and greater awareness about climate change. Results have implications for the design of professional development programs on climate change, a topic included for the first time in national standards.

The Effects of Single Parenthood on Educational Aspiration: A Comparative Study of Children in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Miao; Ngai, Steven Sek-Yum

2011-01-01

Using data collected by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's Program for International Student Assessment in 2003, this study examines the gap in the educational aspirations of children from single-parent families and two-parent families in the United Kingdom (UK) and Hong Kong. Consistent with previous research on the…

Classicism and Romanticism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huddleston, Gregory H.

1993-01-01

Describes one teacher's methods for introducing to secondary English students the concepts of Classicism and Romanticism in relation to pictures of gardens, architecture, music, and literary works. Outlines how the unit leads to a writing assignment based on collected responses over time. (HB)

Ice can look like glass: a phenomenological investigation of movement meaning in one fifth-grade class during a creative dance unit.

PubMed

Nilges, Lynda M

2004-09-01

The movement meanings of students (n = 19) in one fifth-grade class during a creative dance unit focusing on effort (force, time, space, flow) are investigated using a perspective grounded in transcendental phenomenology (Husserl, 1931). Data were collected via videotape, journal, and homework documents and semistructured interviews. Analytical induction (Patton, 2002) structured a four-step analysis process that reduced meaning to its essential essence. Movement meaning was found to be a multifaceted construct that varied among students within and across five dimensions. To enhance meaningful learning, educators are encouraged to consider reflexively (a) their philosophical orientation relative to knowledge making and curriculum values, (b) instructional techniques that help students' access meaning, and (c) the contribution of dance as a source of meaning.

The Characteristics and Experiences of Successful Undergraduate Latina Students Who Persist in Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, Carrie

Females and underrepresented ethnic minorities earn a small percentage of engineering and computer science bachelor's degrees awarded in the United States, earn an even smaller proportion of master's and doctoral degrees, and are underrepresented in the engineering workforce (Engineering Workforce Commission, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2012; United States Department of Education, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2009a; United States Department of Education, [2006], as cited in National Science Foundation, 2009b). Considerable research has examined the perceptions, culture, curriculum, and pedagogy in engineering that inhibits the achievement of women and underrepresented ethnic minorities. This action research study used a qualitative approach to examine the characteristics and experiences of Latina students who pursued a bachelor's degree in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU) as part of the 2008 first-time full-time freshman cohort. The researcher conducted two semi-structured individual interviews with seven undergraduate Latina students who successfully persisted to their fourth (senior) year in engineering. The researcher aimed to understand what characteristics made these students successful and how their experiences affected their persistence in an engineering major. The data collected showed that the Latina participants were motivated to persist in their engineering degree program due to their parents' expectations for success and high academic achievement; their desire to overcome the discrimination, stereotyping, and naysayers that they encountered; and their aspiration to become a role model for their family and other students interested in pursuing engineering. From the data collected, the researcher provided suggestions to implement and adapt educational activities and support systems within the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering to improve the retention and graduation rates of Latinas in engineering at ASU.

Direct and Indirect Predictors of Social Competence in United States Army Junior Commissioned Officers

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-11-01

colleagues, Professors Eric Heggestad and Charlie Reeve, for making their graduate students available to us for data collection and test scoring...Purdue University, respectively, with little difficulty. We sincerely thank the I/O graduate students and consultants who served as data collectors and...scales in both Air Force enlistee and university undergraduate samples. Justification of Hypothesized Link between General Cognitive Ability and Social

Key Data Highlights on Equity and Opportunity Gaps in Our Nation's Public Schools. 2013-2014 Civil Rights Data Collection. A First Look. Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education, 2016

2016-01-01

This document provides results of a survey of all public schools and school districts in the United States. The CRDC measures student access to courses, programs, instructional and other staff, and resources--as well as school climate factors, such as student discipline and bullying and harassment--that impact education equity and opportunity for…

Multilingual Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rado, Marta, Ed.

This is a summary of proceedings, organized on a thematic basis, of workshop sessions conducted for teachers involved in multilingual education. The collection consists of the following: (1) "Bilingual Education: A Focus on the Student," by Marta Rado; (2) "Introduction to Multilingual Project Units," which includes…

Culture Kits for the Elementary Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickey, M. Gail

1997-01-01

Outlines an instructional unit where students construct culture kits illustrating a specific culture. Culture kits are constructed out of realia and other material including maps, travel brochures, photographs, newspapers, souvenirs, and other items. Discusses collecting these items and possible multicultural applications. (MJP)

Sexual Violence Among College Students Attending a Nonresidential Campus.

PubMed

Solinas-Saunders, Monica

2018-03-01

Using the empirical powers of theories of intersectionality, the study investigates the association between students' demographics (such as gender identity, race, ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status) and sexual violence victimization. An anonymous survey was employed to collect data from a cluster random sample of 966 students attending face-to-face courses at a midsize urban nonresidential campus. The empirical findings suggest that being older and female are the only statistically significant factors in the analysis. As the first attempt to focus on students attending nonresidential programs in the United States, the study presents implications for policy and program implementation to include issues pertinent to students' diversity to better respond to students' risk of victimization.

Emphasizing the History of Genetics in an Explicit and Reflective Approach to Teaching the Nature of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Cody Tyler; Rudge, David Wÿss

2016-05-01

Science education researchers have long advocated the central role of the nature of science (NOS) for our understanding of scientific literacy. NOS is often interpreted narrowly to refer to a host of epistemological issues associated with the process of science and the limitations of scientific knowledge. Despite its importance, practitioners and researchers alike acknowledge that students have difficulty learning NOS and that this in part reflects how difficult it is to teach. One particularly promising method for teaching NOS involves an explicit and reflective approach using the history of science. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of a historically based genetics unit on undergraduates' understanding of NOS. The three-class unit developed for this study introduces students to Mendelian genetics using the story of Gregor Mendel's work. NOS learning objectives were emphasized through discussion questions and investigations. The unit was administered to undergraduates in an introductory biology course for pre-service elementary teachers. The influence of the unit was determined by students' responses to the SUSSI instrument, which was administered pre- and post-intervention. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted that focused on changes in students' responses from pre- to post-test. Data collected indicated that students showed improved NOS understanding related to observations, inferences, and the influence of culture on science.

Predictors of negative attitudes toward Indigenous Australians and a unit of study among undergraduate nursing students: A mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Ramjan, Lucie; Hunt, Leanne; Salamonson, Yenna

2016-03-01

Indigenous people are the most disadvantaged population within Australia. The Bachelor of Nursing program at a large university in Western Sydney embedded Indigenous health into the undergraduate teaching program. This paper reviews the negative responses received towards course content on evaluation of the Indigenous health unit and explores the predictors for the negative attitudes towards Indigenous Australians. Two surveys were used (baseline and follow-up) to: 1. Determine the main predictors for negative attitudes towards Indigenous people and; 2. Explore students' perceptions of the educational quality of the Indigenous health unit. The surveys allowed collection of socio-demographic, academic data and included the 18 item 'Attitude Toward Indigenous Australians' (ATIA) scale and open-ended responses. Students who were: 1. Overseas born, 2. Enrolment category: International student and; 3. Whose primary source of information about Indigenous Australians were the media and school were significantly more likely to have higher negative attitudes towards Indigenous Australians. Qualitative data revealed some unfavourable comments dismissing the value and educational quality of the content within the Indigenous health unit. Community engagement is paramount to enhancing the student experience. Movement away from media driven 'hype' to an educated perspective is necessary to create an accurate portrayal of the Indigenous community. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introductory Geophysics at Colorado College: A Research-Driven Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bank, C.

2003-12-01

Doing research during an undergraduate course provides stimulus for students and instructor. Students learn to appreciate the scientific method and get hands-on experience, while the instructor remains thrilled about teaching her/his discipline. The introductory geophysics course taught at Colorado College is made up of four units (gravity, seismic, resistivity, and magnetic) using available geophysical equipment. Within each unit students learn the physical background of the method, and then tackle a small research project selected by the instructor. Students pose a research question (or formulate a hypothesis), collect near-surface data in the field, process it using personal computers, and analyse it by creating computer models and running simple inversions. Computer work is done using the programming language Matlab, with several pre-coded scripts to make the programming experience more comfortable. Students then interpret the data and answer the question posed at the beginning. The unit ends with students writing a summary report, creating a poster, or presenting their findings orally. First evaluations of the course show that students appreciate the emphasis on field work and applications to real problems, as well as developing and testing their own hypotheses. The main challenge for the instructor is to find feasible projects, given the time constraints of a course and availability of field sites with new questions to answer. My presentation will feature a few projects done by students during the course and will discuss the experience students and I have had with this approach.

From ''being to the self'' to ''become to be'': on development of autonomy construction in nursing students.

PubMed

Waterkemper, Roberta; do Prado, Marta Lenise; Medina-Moya, José Luis; Backes, Vânia Marli Schubert

2014-01-01

To understand nursing student's self-consciousness and his/her autonomy in the discipline of fundamentals of professional care in the context of a liberating pedagogical proposal. This qualitative, case-based research in the model of Ludke and André involved 14 students participating in the discipline. Data were collected by non-participatory observation and analysis of documents. Field observation was conducted from March to July 2010 and data were collected according to the proposal of Minayo: pre-analysis, exploration of material and treatment of results. We constructed two thematic units of analysis: from ''being to the self'' and exercise of ''become to be''. When nursing students feel more liberty, they have the opportunity to substitute the scary prospect of learning something new material to something that motivates their curiosity and leads them to become more autonomous.

Exploring environmental identity and behavioral change in an Environmental Science course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blatt, Erica N.

2013-06-01

This ethnographic study at a public high school in the Northeastern United States investigates the process of change in students' environmental identity and proenvironmental behaviors during an Environmental Science course. The study explores how sociocultural factors, such as students' background, social interactions, and classroom structures, impact the environmental identity and behavior of students. In this investigation, the identity theory of emotion of Stryker (2004) from the field of sociology is utilized in the interpretation of students' reactions to classroom experiences as they proceed through the Environmental Science course. The participants in this study are an Environmental Science teacher and the 10-12th grade students in her Environmental Science elective course. The researcher collected data for a period of six months, attending class on a daily basis. Data was collected through participant observation, videotaping, interviews, and cogenerative dialogues. The results of this study inform science educators by illuminating important elements, such as students' emotional responses to activities in class, conflicting elements of students' identities, and students' openness and willingness to critically reflect upon new information, which contribute to whether a student is likely to change their views towards the environment and pro-environmental behaviors.

Kwanzaa: A Holiday of Principles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Phyllis M.; Young, Terrell A.

1995-01-01

Describes the content and pedagogy of a three-week unit using "Kwanzaa" to validate the Swahili roots of African American cultural heritage. Emphasizes that Kwanzaa is a holiday of principles that applies to all students by emphasizing community, purpose, and personal and collective action. (RS)

I ANIMATE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

RAYMOND, JOSEPH

A COLLECTION OF MATERIALS IS PRESENTED TO AID STUDENTS IN LEARNING SPANISH. SPANISH IS PRESENTED IN UNITS RANGING FROM PROVERBS, RIDDLES, SONGS, ANECDOTES, SHORT-SHORT STORIES, TO SKITS FOR QUICK ASSIMILATION, EASY RETENTION, AND NORMAL UNCOMPLICATED CONVERSATION. SKILLS SOUGHT FOR ARE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND, SPEAK, AND WRITE SPANISH. THE…

On the trail of preventing meningococcal disease: a survey of students planning to travel to the United States.

PubMed

Huang, Hsien-Liang; Cheng, Shao-Yi; Lee, Long-Teng; Yao, Chien-An; Chu, Chia-Wei; Lu, Chia-Wen; Chiu, Tai-Yuan; Huang, Kuo-Chin

2013-01-01

College freshmen living in dormitories are at increased risk for meningococcal disease. Many students become a high-risk population when they travel to the United States. This study surveyed the knowledge, attitudes toward, and behavior surrounding the disease among Taiwanese college students planning to study in the United States, and to identify factors that may affect willingness to accept meningococcal vaccination. A cross-sectional survey of college students going to study in the United States was conducted in a medical center-based travel medicine clinic. Background information, attitudes, general knowledge, preventive or postexposure management, and individual preventive practices were collected through a structured questionnaire. A total of 358 students were included in the final analysis. More than 90% of participants believed that preventing meningococcal disease was important. However, fewer than 50% of students accurately answered six of nine questions exploring knowledge of the disease, and only 17.3% of students knew the correct management strategy after close contact with patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that students who understood the mode of transmission (odds ratio: 3.21, 95% CI = 1.117-9.229), medication management (1.88, 1.045-3.38), and epidemiology (2.735, 1.478-5.061) tended to be vaccinated. Despite an overall positive attitude toward meningococcal vaccination, there was poor knowledge about meningococcal disease. Promoting education on the mode of transmission, epidemiology, and pharmacological management of the disease could increase vaccination rates. Both the governments and travel medicine specialists should work together on developing an education program for this high-risk group other than just requiring vaccination. © 2013 International Society of Travel Medicine.

Bringing Exoplanet Habitability Investigations to High School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woody, M. A.; Sohl, L. E.

2016-12-01

Habitability, a.k.a. habitat suitability, is a topic typically discussed in Biology class. We present here a curriculum unit that introduces the topic in a Physics classroom, allowing students to engage in cutting-edge science and re-framing an otherwise "typical" unit. Unit development was made possible by the Climate Change Research Initiative (CCRI) at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, a year-long program that partners a scientist-mentor with a high school educator to engage in research and curriculum development. At its core, habitability is a temperature-dependent quality that is introduced and explored during the Energy unit. Students conducted a research project with the goal of determining the habitability state for a chosen exoplanet. Classroom implementation was modeled after the scientist-mentor's actual research plan, with content and resources for lesson activities also contributed by the scientist. Students first engaged in discussion of 5 basic habitability factors and explored these variables through climate modeling software. Students then chose an exoplanet to examine through the lens of those habitability factors, an activity that required them to perform authentic research on the exoplanet and its host star. Students also developed hypotheses about factors beyond currently available mission data, such as atmospheric composition and surface albedo of their exoplanet. They then used the modeling software to collect data, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions. Lastly, students communicated their findings in a poster session and presentation at the high school's annual science symposium. This scientist/educator partnership had a strongly positive impact on the high school students involved. By bringing actual science and research practices to the classroom, the students were not only more actively engaged with the required Physics course content, but also gained a better understanding of how scientific research is done.

Finding actionable data to support student success in introductory science courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horodyskyj, L.; Mead, C.; Anbar, A. D.

2017-12-01

Effective education demands an understanding of students' prior knowledge, prior experiences, and predispositions. Knowledge surveys are one way to match instruction to students' needs, but measure only one way in which students' needs vary. Computer learning systems can give instructors detailed, real-time information about cognitive biases or effort in key lessons. We show how the design of the online course Habitable Worlds facilitates the collection and use of these kinds of student data. Early effort in a course is thought to predict success, but our results show that more effort is not always a positive indicator. Unit 1, the introduction, is scored on completion, but requires a correct answer to each question to progress. An ANOVA found that a student who earns anything less than full points for Unit 1 will have a course grade 1.3 letter grades lower than a student who earns full points (F(1, 1272) = 136.4, p < .001). A second analysis included only students who earned a C or better and full Unit 1 points, to deemphasize very low performers. On 180 separate "screens" in Unit 1, the median screen attempts was 249. An ANOVA shows that students taking more attempts than the median earn lower course grades by 0.25 letter grades (F(1, 919) = 35.8, p < .001). These results show the value in tracking completion (too little effort) as well as difficulty or challenge (unexpectedly high effort). We are working to create interventions to aid students on both ends of this spectrum in future offerings. In addition to measures of objective course performance, we can also examine more subtle student characteristics. In Unit 1, students are asked to describe an image of a cloud that resembles an angel. Some provide an observation (cloud), while others make an interpretation (angel). Even this seemingly trivial question shows significant predictive value in two subsequent exercises that ask students to classify statements as observations or interpretations (F(1, 292) = 30.2, p < .001) and to distinguish scientific versus non-scientific evidence and claims (F(1, 292) = 17.4, p < .001). In each case, the "cloud" students make fewer mistakes than the "angel" students. Here, an intervention could elaborates on the difference between observations and interpretations, but also re-emphasize the reasons scientists separate those concepts the way they do.

Mastery Based Homework in Introductory Physics at the University of Illinois

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stelzer, Tim; Gutmann, Brianne; Gladding, Gary; Lundsgaard, Morten; Schroeder, Noah

2017-01-01

The successful implementation of mastery-style online homework into our preparatory mechanics course has been a long-term project, currently in its second year. By requiring students to perfect a single unit of defined competencies before moving on to its successive unit (with intervening narrated animated solutions for instructional support), this homework delivery method replaced traditional immediate feedback online homework for the class of about 500 students. After the first year of data collection and analysis, significant revisions were made to the system's delivery, content, and messaging. The impact of these changes and second year data will be presented, as well as data from implementation in our introductory electricity and magnetism course. NSF DUE 16-08002.

Perceptions of a disability sport unit in general physical education.

PubMed

Grenier, Michelle; Collins, Karen; Wright, Steven; Kearns, Catherine

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess the effectiveness of a disability sport unit in shaping perceptions of disability. Data from interviews, observations, and documents were collected on 87 elementary-aged students, one physical education teacher, and one teaching intern. Comparisons were drawn between fifth graders engaged in a five-week disability sport unit to fourth graders participating in their standard physical education curriculum. Findings revealed differences in the way fourth and fifth graders came to view individuals with disabilities. The results support an analysis of curriculum development that underscores the significance of the social model in positively impacting constructions of disability. Recommendations include the use of disability sports in physical education as an effective strategy for educating students in game play, knowledge of the Paralympics, and the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in a variety of sporting venues.

Examining Teacher Talk in an Engineering Design-Based Science Curricular Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aranda, Maurina L.; Lie, Richard; Selcen Guzey, S.; Makarsu, Murat; Johnston, Amanda; Moore, Tamara J.

2018-03-01

Recent science education reforms highlight the importance for teachers to implement effective instructional practices that promote student learning of science and engineering content and their practices. Effective classroom discussion has been shown to support the learning of science, but work is needed to examine teachers' enactment of engineering design-based science curricula by focusing on the content, complexity, structure, and orchestration of classroom discussions. In the present study, we explored teacher-student talk with respect to science in a middle school curriculum focused on genetics and genetic engineering. Our study was guided by the following major research question: What are the similarities and differences in teacher talk moves that occurred within an engineering design-based science unit enacted by two teachers? Through qualitative and quantitative approaches, we found that there were clear differences in two teachers' use of questioning strategies and presentation of new knowledge that affected the level of student involvement in classroom discourse and the richness and details of student contributions to the conversations. We also found that the verbal explanations of science content differed between two teachers. Collectively, the findings in this study demonstrate that although the teachers worked together to design an engineering designed-based science curriculum unit, their use of different discussion strategies and patterns, and interactions with students differed to affect classroom discourse.

Promoting elementary students' epistemology of science through computer-supported knowledge-building discourse and epistemic reflection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Feng; Chan, Carol K. K.

2018-04-01

This study examined the role of computer-supported knowledge-building discourse and epistemic reflection in promoting elementary-school students' scientific epistemology and science learning. The participants were 39 Grade 5 students who were collectively pursuing ideas and inquiry for knowledge advance using Knowledge Forum (KF) while studying a unit on electricity; they also reflected on the epistemic nature of their discourse. A comparison class of 22 students, taught by the same teacher, studied the same unit using the school's established scientific investigation method. We hypothesised that engaging students in idea-driven and theory-building discourse, as well as scaffolding them to reflect on the epistemic nature of their discourse, would help them understand their own scientific collaborative discourse as a theory-building process, and therefore understand scientific inquiry as an idea-driven and theory-building process. As hypothesised, we found that students engaged in knowledge-building discourse and reflection outperformed comparison students in scientific epistemology and science learning, and that students' understanding of collaborative discourse predicted their post-test scientific epistemology and science learning. To further understand the epistemic change process among knowledge-building students, we analysed their KF discourse to understand whether and how their epistemic practice had changed after epistemic reflection. The implications on ways of promoting epistemic change are discussed.

Making the most of person-centred education by integrating flipped and simulated teaching: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Saunders, Annette; Green, Rosy; Cross, Merylin

2017-11-01

Preparing a person-centred nursing workforce to work in diverse settings is a global health priority. Nursing students' first placement experience is a key transitional moment that shapes professional understanding and motivation to become a nurse. This paper reports the outcomes of combining flipped and simulated learning to enhance nursing students' understanding of person-centred care, the professional nursing role and preparation for placement. The study design was exploratory, the setting, an undergraduate nursing program in an Australian University. Participants included first year nursing students, academic tutors and clinical facilitators. Data collected via survey, semistructured interviews and focus group discussion were analysed descriptively and thematically. Over 90% of students surveyed considered the unit structure, content and resources prepared them well for placement. Pre-class preparation and simulated tutorial activities facilitated student engagement and knowledge translation. Students, tutors and clinical facilitators valued the person-centred approach. Tutors considered the unit materials and focus enhanced students' professional understanding. Clinical facilitators deemed students well-prepared for placement. These results from multiple perspectives, though limited, support combining the flipped classroom and person-centred simulation in nursing education as a strategy to prepare students for clinical placement, translate person-centred values into practice and promote professional understanding and role socialisation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of four problems on the units of Force and Motion with Pressure and Buoyancy in the secondary school physics textbooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavcar, Nevzat; Kaya, Uǧur

2017-02-01

In the study the four problems defined on three units in the textbooks in accordance with the 2013 Secondary School Physics Curriculum have been investigated. The study carried out in the Spring semester of education year 2015 - 2016, within the scope of an undergraduate course. Method of the study is the descriptive model based on qualitative research technics. The data collection instruments were textbook evaluation reports prepared by the participants and pre -service teachers, and presentations reflecting teachers' and pre-service teachers' ideas on the textbooks. A document analysis was conducted by means of these data collection tools. It has been concluded that in the related units a significant shortcoming is not found regarding being student-centered, activity-based and contex-based approximations. However, some shortcomings were found in activity-gain concordance with assessment and evaluation applications. On the basis of the collected data, some recommendations for improving the textbooks have been presented.

Investigation of four problems on the units of material and its properties, energy with heat and temperature in the secondary school physics textbooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavcar, Nevzat; Özen, Ali Ihsan

2017-02-01

In the present study, three units in textbooks in accordance with the 2013 Secondary School Physics Curriculum were analyzed in defined four problems, and some recommendations were made. The study carried out in the Spring semester of education year 2015-2016, within the scope of an undergraduate course. Method of the study is the descriptive model based on qualitative research technics. The data collection instruments were textbook evaluation reports prepared by the participants and pre-service teachers, and presentations reflecting teachers' and pre-service teachers' ideas on the textbooks. A document analysis was conducted by means of these data collection tools. It has been concluded that in the related units a significant shortcoming is not found regarding being student-centered, activity and contex-based approximations. However, some shortcomings were found in activity-gain concordance with measurement and evaluation applications. On the basis of the collected data, some recommendations for improving the textbooks have been presented.

Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment and Staff Counts from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2010-11. First Look. NCES 2012-327

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keaton, Patrick

2012-01-01

This report presents findings on the numbers of public school students and staff in the United States and other jurisdictions for school year 2010-11, using data from the State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary/Secondary Education of the Common Core of Data (CCD) survey system. The CCD is an annual collection of data that are reported by state…

Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment and Staff Counts from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2009-10. First Look. NCES 2011-347

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Chen-Su

2011-01-01

This report presents findings on the numbers of public school students and staff in the United States and other jurisdictions in school year 2009-10, using data from the State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary/Secondary Education of the Common Core of Data (CCD) survey system. The CCD is an annual collection of data that are reported by state…

SSMILes: School Science and Mathematics Integrated Lessons: Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Consumer Unit, Part III: Investigating Snacks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearlman, Susan; Pericak-Spector, Kathleen

1995-01-01

Gives lesson plans for activities integrating mathematics and science in which students collect data on the nutritional makeup of a number of snack foods and relate this information to the recommendations of the food guide pyramid. (MKR)

Using Records of Achievement in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assiter, Alison, Ed.; Shaw, Eileen, Ed.

This collection of 22 essays examines the use of records of achievement (student profiles or portfolios) in higher and vocational education in the United Kingdom. They include: (1) "Records of Achievement: Background, Definitions, and Uses" (Alison Assiter and Eileen Shaw); (2) "Profiling in Higher Education" (Alison Assiter…

Making Decisions with Data: Are We Environmentally Friendly?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

English, Lyn; Watson, Jane

2016-01-01

Statistical literacy is a vital component of numeracy. Students need to learn to critically evaluate and interpret statistical information if they are to become informed citizens. This article examines a Year 5 unit of work that uses the data collection and analysis cycle within a sustainability context.

Developing an NGSS Pedagogy for Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Using the CLEAN Collection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manning, C. L. B.; Taylor, J.; Oonk, D.; Sullivan, S. M.; Kirk, K.; Niepold, F., III

2017-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards and A Framework for K-12 Science Education have introduced us to 3-dimensional science instruction. Together, these provide infinite opportunities to generate interesting problems inspiring instruction and motivating student learning. Finding good resources to support 3-dimensional learning is challenging. The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) as a comprehensive source of high-quality, NGSS-aligned resources that can be quickly and easily searched. Furthermore, teachers new to NGSS are asked to do the following: synthesize high quality, scientifically vetted resources to engage students in relevant phenomena, problems and projects develop place-awareness for where students live and learn encourage data analysis, modeling, and argumentation skills energize students to participate in finding possible solutions to the problems we face. These challenges are intensified when teaching climate science and energy technology, some of the most rapidly changing science and engineering fields. Educators can turn to CLEAN to find scientifically and pedagogically vetted resources to integrate into their lessons. In this presentation, we will introduce the newly developed Harmonics Planning Template, Guidance Videos and Flowchart that guide the development of instructionally-sound, NGSS-style units using the CLEAN collection of resources. To illustrate the process, three example units will be presented: Phenology - a place-based investigation, Debating the Grid - a deliberation on optimal energy grid solutions, and History of Earth's Atmosphere and Oceans - a data-rich collaborative investigation.

NASA's Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) 2009-2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaller, E. L.

2017-12-01

The NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) is a unique summer internship program for rising senior undergraduates majoring in any of the STEM disciplines. SARP participants acquire hands-on research experience in all aspects of a NASA airborne campaign, including flying onboard NASA research aircraft while studying Earth system processes. Approximately thirty-two students are competitively selected each summer from colleges and universities across the United States. Students work in four interdisciplinary teams to study surface, atmospheric, and oceanographic processes. Participants assist in the operation of instruments onboard NASA aircraft where they sample and measure atmospheric gases and image land and water surfaces in multiple spectral bands. Along with airborne data collection, students participate in taking measurements at field sites. Mission faculty and research mentors help to guide participants through instrument operation, sample analysis, and data reduction. Over the eight-week program, each student develops an individual research project from the data collected and delivers a conference-style final presentation on their results. Each year, several students present the results of their SARP research projects in scientific sessions at this meeting. We discuss the results and effectiveness of the program over the past nine summers and plans for the future.

Data Collection Procedures and Descriptive Statistics for the Grade One Achievement Monitoring Tests (Baseline, S-1, S-2, and S-3), Coordinated Study No. 1. Working Paper 316. Report from the Project on Studies in Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Anne E.; Romberg, Thomas A.

As part of a 3-year study of arithmetic problem-solving skills in young children, pretests were administered to 180 middle class first grade students. Following each of three instructional units, another achievement test was administered. The three first grade units corresponded to the Developing Mathematical Processes curriculum and involved…

The quest for balanced curriculum: The perceptions of secondary students and teachers who experienced an integrated art and science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schramm, Susan Lynn

The purpose of this study was to describe how an integrated high school curriculum unit connecting the different subject areas of art and science could be used to give students a voice in the decisions about learning. Through the data generated I examined the obstacles of integrating curriculum in a traditionally subject-centered high school. Forty-one students, nineteen biology students in the ninth grade, and twenty-two art students ranging from the tenth grade through the twelfth grade, along with their two teachers and a student teacher, were the subjects of the research. An integrated curricular unit, "Genetic Robotics," was designed specifically for this research to enable students to integrate scientific and artistic processes such as communication skills, problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity and responsiveness to the aesthetic; thus empowering them for future learning. Semi-structured interviews, surveys, questionnaires, informal conversations, reaction journals, field observations, video tapes, and official documents from the school, provided the data for this research. Data were collected using a strategy of participant-observation. The constant comparative analysis method was employed to explore emerging themes. Oak Park students' adaptability to an integrated art and science unit was found to be limited because of their inability to conceptualize curricular structures that are different from the traditional ones to which they are accustomed. Students typically scored high on standardized proficiency tests and college entrance exams. Therefore, for them to experience an innovation that is not based on the memorize-and-recall mode of learning is to risk failure and many are unwilling to do so, especially the high achieving students.

Bags and blogs: creating an ostomy experience for nursing students.

PubMed

Reed, Karen S

2012-01-01

There are well over three-quarters of a million people living in the United States with an ostomy. These individuals experience many physical and emotional challenges which nurses should address during the in-patient hospitalization experience. The purpose of this educational activity was to provide undergraduate nursing students with a simulated laboratory experience which allowed the student to discuss and experience some of the challenges of living with an ostomy. Small group work, an experiential learning activity, and blogging were used to foster the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective development of the nursing students. All 134 students participated in the small group work and blogging experience and over 100 students participated in the experiential learning activity of wearing an ostomy bag overnight with the bag containing a small amount of simulated fecal material. The impact of the simulated experience is evident in the depth of awareness and emotion expressed in the blogs. The students collectively acknowledged the value of the activity and the impact the gained awareness had on their careers as nurses. The use of social technology and the provision of learning activities, not available on the clinical unit, can have a significant impact on the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective development of nursing students. © 2012 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

Weathering Database Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Robert

2005-01-01

Collecting weather data is a traditional part of a meteorology unit at the middle level. However, making connections between the data and weather conditions can be a challenge. One way to make these connections clearer is to enter the data into a database. This allows students to quickly compare different fields of data and recognize which…

Native American Biographies. Multicultural Biographies Collection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seeley, Virginia, Ed.; And Others

This book, appropriate for secondary students, includes brief biographies of 21 Native Americans of the 20th century. The biographies focus on childhood experiences, cultural heritage, and career goals. The book is divided into four units that feature Native Americans with successful careers in the fields of literature and drama; fine arts and…

Epistemic Agency in an Environmental Sciences Watershed Investigation Fostered by Digital Photography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Weible, Jennifer L.

2018-01-01

This collective case study investigates the role of digital photography to support high school students' engagement in science inquiry practices during a three-week environmental sciences unit. The study's theoretical framework brings together research from digital photography, participation in environmental science practices, and epistemic…

ILGWU Students on the Move.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nunez, Ignacio, Ed.

This magazine, created by local units of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) through its Worker-Family Education Program, is a collection of personal opinions, reports, and creative writing with illustrations. Articles include: an interview with a fellow union member; statements on aspects of the culture of native countries;…

Using Achievement Goals and Interest to Predict Learning in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Bo; Chen, Ang; Guan, Jianmin

2007-01-01

On the basis of an integrated theoretical approach to achievement motivation, the authors designed this study to investigate the potential influence of mastery goal, performance-approach and avoidance-approach goals, individual interest, and situational interest on students' learning in a physical education softball unit. The authors collected and…

Middle School Student Records as Dropout Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregg, William Sherman

2010-01-01

Dropping out of school is associated with a wide array of negative outcomes and the extraordinarily high United States dropout rate has brought the issue to the forefront of American education. This study investigated normally collected middle school data from a suburban Colorado school district to determine the predictive value toward students…

English Language Testing in U.S. Colleges and Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, Dan, Ed.

A collection of essays and research reports addresses issues in the testing of English as a Second Language (ESL) among foreign students in United States colleges and universities. They include the following: "Overview of ESL Testing" (Ralph Pat Barrett); "English Language Testing: The View from the Admissions Office" (G. James…

Project Physics Reader 4, Light and Electromagnetism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

As a supplement to Project Physics Unit 4, a collection of articles is presented in this reader for student browsing. The 21 articles are included under the following headings: Letter from Thomas Jefferson; On the Method of Theoretical Physics; Systems, Feedback, Cybernetics; Velocity of Light; Popular Applications of Polarized Light; Eye and…

Education & Justice: A View from the Back of the Bus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Edmund W.

This collection of essays reflects a lifetime commitment to education and democracy, bringing together views on race, justice, and equity for all students. The essays are: (1) "Educating the Poor in the United States"; (2) "Human Social Divisions and Human Intelligence: Putting Them in Their Place"; (3) "Cultural…

The 2010 Broad Prize

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 2011

2011-01-01

A new data analysis, based on data collected as part of The Broad Prize process, provides insights into which large urban school districts in the United States are doing the best job of educating traditionally disadvantaged groups: African-American, Hispanics, and low-income students. Since 2002, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation has awarded The…

Supercharged Snails for Stream Ecology & Water-Quality Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Arthur J.; Ryon, Michael G.

2003-01-01

Gill-breathing freshwater snails (Family "Pleuroceridae") are ecologically important, abundant in many streams in the United States, and easy to collect and maintain under classroom conditions. These snails can be used in classroom tests to demonstrate effects of pollutants on aquatic organisms. In more advanced classes, students can cage the…

The Relationship between Elementary Principals' Visionary Leadership and Students' Reading Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mora-Whitehurst, Rina

2013-01-01

This article focuses on elementary principals as instructional leaders, as well as public school initiatives and educational accountability in the United States. It presents the methodology, instrumentation, measures of academic achievement in Florida, data collection, and processing procedures. Finally, it presents data analysis, results of the…

Messages to Ground Zero: Children Respond to September 11, 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harwayne, Shelley

2002-01-01

Presents a collection of letters, poems, and artwork by children in response to the tragedy of September 11, 2001. Tells how students throughout the United States picked up their pens, pencils, crayons, markers, and paintbrushes, and attempted to make sense of this most incomprehensible act. (SG)

Intimate Adult Relationships, Quality of Life and Psychological Adjusment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khaleque, Abdul

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess relations between adult intimacy, quality of life, and psychological adjustment. Data were collected in the United States from a sample of 64 college students. The measuring instruments used were Personal Information Sheet, Adult version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire (Adult PAQ), Intimate…

Reinstate the Draft? Target Report No. 15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orleans, Bill, Comp.

Position papers collected by the United States Student Association (USSA) outlining objections to the reimposition of a selective service draft are presented. The USSA believes that a draft is unnecessary because: total active military strength is maintained even when voluntary enlistment falls short of its goal; it would increase military costs;…

James Madison and "The Federalist Papers."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, John J.; And Others

A collection of resources for high school history and government teachers and their students, this volume treats core ideas on constitutional government in the United States. James Madison's ideas as found in "The Federalist Papers" are examined in conjunction with their counterpoints in essays of the Anti-Federalists. This volume…

Online Marketing to Kids: How To Protect Yourself.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Libraries in Canada, 2000

2000-01-01

Presents a teaching unit from the Media Awareness Network Web site that introduces students (grades six through nine) to ways in which commercial Web sites collect personal information from children and issues surrounding children and privacy on the Internet. Highlights: objective; learning outcomes; preparation and materials; the lesson; guided…

School bus transportation for students seated in wheelchairs.

PubMed

Buning, Mary Ellen; Karg, Patricia E

2011-01-01

For children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), transportation is considered a related service and a part of their education. This paper presents an overview of the current status of wheelchair transportation for students on school buses within the United States. The review includes the school transportation environment for wheelchair-seated students, applicable regulations and voluntary standards, primary safety issues for wheelchair-seated students, and key stakeholders roles in improving wheelchair transportation safety. Future actions to improve wheelchair transportation safety in school transportation are discussed, including the need to improve data collection, mandate payment for and use of RESNA WC19-compliant wheelchairs, improve training for bus operators and attendants, and require specialty certification for school bus operators who transport wheelchair-seated students.

Introduction to the special issue on college student mental health.

PubMed

Castillo, Linda G; Schwartz, Seth J

2013-04-01

This article provides an introduction to the special issue on college student mental health. It gives an overview of the establishment of the Multi-Site University Study of Identity and Culture (MUSIC) collaborative by a group of national experts on culture and identity. Information about the procedures used to collect a nationally represented sample of college students are provided. Data were collected from 30 university sites across the United States. The sample comprised 10,573 undergraduate college students, of which 73% were women, 63% White, 9% African American/Black, 14% Latino/Hispanic, 13% Asian American, and 1% Other. The special issue comprises a compilation of 8 studies that used the dataset specifically created to examine the issues of emerging adults, culture, and identity. Student mental health problems are a growing concern on college campuses. Studies covered in this special issue have implications for policy development regarding college alcohol use and traumatic victimization, include attention to underrepresented minority and immigrant groups on college campuses, and focus on positive as well as pathological aspects of the college experience. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of critical attitude in fundamentals of professional care discipline: a case study.

PubMed

Waterkemper, Roberta; do Prado, Marta Lenise; Medina, Jose Luis Moya; Reibnitz, Kenya Schmidt

2014-04-01

This is a qualitative case study to identify the contributions of a critical pedagogical technique in developing critical attitudes of graduating nursing students in Brazil. Fourteen students participated in this study. Data were collected from March to August 2010 using triangulation of non-participant observation, interview and document analysis. The collected data were transcribed to Word documents, which were subsequently imported into ATLAS.ti, version 6.2, for organisation and qualitative data analysis. The analysis was based on the work of Minayo (2010). The following three thematic analysis units were constructed: feeling free - seeking the liberty to learn to admire, admiring by curiosity and reflecting about the admired object. The results of the thematic categories reveal that the students understand that they are free to have an active role in their education, and the teacher facilitates this process; thus, the students have a raison d'ètre, or reason for being, free. Feeling free, the student can exercise their curiosity when facing the given situations and topics, which challenges them to make decisions based on their awareness of the world. © 2013.

Graduation Rates for Selected Cohorts, 2008-13; Outcome Measures for Cohort Year 2008; Student Financial Aid, Academic Year 2015-16; and Admissions in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2016: First Look (Provisional Data). NCES 2017-150rev

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ginder, Scott A.; Kelly-Reid, Janice E.; Mann, Farrah B.

2017-01-01

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) collects institution-level data from postsecondary institutions in the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia) and other U.S. jurisdictions. This "First Look" presents findings from the provisional data of the IPEDS winter 2016-17 data collection, which included…

An Online Student Research Institute Designed to Engage Students in Original Scientific Research Using State of the Art Technologies to Increase Participation in STEM Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freed, R.

2015-12-01

Affordable and accessible technology has advanced tremendously in the last decade allowing educational paradigms to change dramatically to more student-centered, experiential and project-based models. Additionally, as the need to increase the number of students entering STEM fields in the United States becomes more critical it is imperative to understand the factors that determine student career pathways and to provide opportunities for students to experience, understand and pursue scientific endeavors. The Institute for Student Astronomical Research was founded in order to provide a means for high school and early undergraduate students to engage in meaningful and relevant scientific research. A major goal is to give students the experience of true-to-life scientific investigation from the planning and proposal stages to the data collection and analysis, writing up and presenting of scientific findings and finally to the publication of results. Furthermore, the Institute is designed to collect data on how involvement in the Science Research Seminars influences educational and career choices for students in longitudinal studies following participants for several years. In the first year of the online course of the Institute 10 student teams conducted original research and published their findings in peer-reviewed journals. Lessons learned from the pilot year are being applied to the Institute as efforts to scale up the program are underway.

Exploring Science in the Studio: NSF-Funded Initiatives to Increase Scientific Literacy in Undergraduate Art and Design Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metzger, C. A.

2015-12-01

The project Exploring Science in the Studio at California College of the Arts (CCA), one of the oldest and most influential art and design schools in the country, pursues ways to enable undergraduate students to become scientifically literate problem-solvers in a variety of careers and to give content and context to their creative practices. The two main branches of this National Science Foundation-funded project are a series of courses called Science in the Studio (SitS) and the design of the Mobile Units for Science Exploration (MUSE) system, which allow instructors to bring science equipment directly into the studios. Ongoing since 2010, each fall semester a series of interdisciplinary SitS courses are offered in the college's principal areas of study (architecture, design, fine arts, humanities and sciences, and diversity studies) thematically linked by Earth and environmental science topics such as water, waste, and sustainability. Each course receives funding to embed guest scientists from other colleges and universities, industry, or agriculture directly into the studio courses. These scientists worked in tandem with the studio faculty and gave lectures, led field trips, conducted studio visits, and advised the students' creative endeavors, culminating in an annual SitS exhibition of student work. The MUSE system, of fillable carts and a storage and display unit, was designed by undergraduate students in a Furniture studio who explored, experimented, and researched various ways science materials and equipment are stored, collected, and displayed, for use in the current and future science and studio curricula at CCA. Sustainable practices and "smart design" underpinned all of the work completed in the studio. The materials selected for the new Science Collection at CCA include environmental monitoring equipment and test kits, a weather station, a stream table, a rock and fossil collection, and a vertebrate skull collection. The SitS courses and MUSE system provide two new, easily transferable models for scientific inquiry for other similarly sized colleges of art and design. Additionally, the MUSE provide a replicable model for bringing science instructional materials and equipment directly into classrooms at colleges that do not have stand-alone science departments or facilities.

Grade 8 students' capability of analytical thinking and attitude toward science through teaching and learning about soil and its' pollution based on science technology and society (STS) approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boonprasert, Lapisarin; Tupsai, Jiraporn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

This study reported Grade 8 students' analytical thinking and attitude toward science in teaching and learning about soil and its' pollution through science technology and society (STS) approach. The participants were 36 Grade 8 students in Naklang, Nongbualumphu, Thailand. The teaching and learning about soil and its' pollution through STS approach had carried out for 6 weeks. The soil and its' pollution unit through STS approach was developed based on framework of Yuenyong (2006) that consisted of five stages including (1) identification of social issues, (2) identification of potential solutions, (3) need for knowledge, (4) decision-making, and (5) socialization stage. Students' analytical thinking and attitude toward science was collected during their learning by participant observation, analytical thinking test, students' tasks, and journal writing. The findings revealed that students could gain their capability of analytical thinking. They could give ideas or behave the characteristics of analytical thinking such as thinking for classifying, compare and contrast, reasoning, interpreting, collecting data and decision making. Students' journal writing reflected that the STS class of soil and its' pollution motivated students. The paper will discuss implications of these for science teaching and learning through STS in Thailand.

Development and evaluation of a critical care e-learning scenario.

PubMed

Tait, Michael; Tait, Desiree; Thornton, Frances; Edwards, Mark

2008-11-01

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a critical care e-learning scenario for student nurses. At present, there are insufficient opportunities in the United Kingdom (UK) for student nurses to experience clinical placements where their skills in care of the critically-ill can be developed. There is therefore a need for new learning materials that help learners recognise the signs of clinical deterioration and rehearse the management of critically-ill patients. One way of meeting this need is by using electronic care scenarios. Several electronic care scenarios have been developed at Swansea University as part of the eWARD project. This article describes the design and evaluation of a critical care scenario that follows the care of a road casualty (John Macadam) after admission to an intensive care unit. The scenario was designed by an advisory team comprising a clinical lecturer and e-learning specialists. After using the scenario, 144 nursing students completed a Web-based questionnaire that collected demographic and attitudinal data for analysis using SPSS. Nursing students had a strongly positive attitude to the scenario with median scores in excess of 20 compared to maxima of 25 for scales measuring ease-of-use, interactivity, realism and confidence. None of the demographic data collected had a significant effect on these attitudes. The positive attitude of student nurses to this scenario strongly supports its use to help learners to (1) acquire knowledge and awareness when real life placements in these settings are not available and (2) extend their knowledge after coming across similar situations in practice.

The Influence of Curriculum, Instruction, Technology, and Social Interactions on Two Fifth-Grade Students' Epistemologies in Modeling Throughout a Model-Based Curriculum Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baek, Hamin; Schwarz, Christina V.

2015-04-01

In the past decade, reform efforts in science education have increasingly attended to engaging students in scientific practices such as scientific modeling. Engaging students in scientific modeling can help them develop their epistemologies by allowing them to attend to the roles of mechanism and empirical evidence when constructing and revising models. In this article, we present our in-depth case study of how two fifth graders—Brian and Joon—who were students in a public school classroom located in a Midwestern state shifted their epistemologies in modeling as they participated in the enactment of a technologically enhanced, model-based curriculum unit on evaporation and condensation. First, analyses of Brian's and Joon's models indicate that their epistemologies in modeling related to explanation and empirical evidence shifted productively throughout the unit. Additionally, while their initial and final epistemologies in modeling were similar, the pathways in which their epistemologies in modeling shifted differed. Next, analyses of the classroom activities illustrate how various components of the learning ecology including technological tools, the teacher's scaffolding remarks, and students' collective activities and conversations, were marshaled in the service of the two students' shifting epistemologies in modeling. These findings suggest a nuanced view of individual learners' engagement in scientific modeling, their epistemological shifts in the practice, and the roles of technology and other components of a modeling-oriented learning environment for such shifts.

The Effect of Personnel Stability on Organizational Performance: Do Battalions with Stable Command Groups Achieve Higher Training Proficiency at the National Training Center?

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

Graduate School and the students they work with on a routine basis. All three of my committee members have been superb mentors in helping me develop the...Deployable” and “Individual Replacement Induced Non-Deployable.” Wartime non-deployable status is provided to soldiers who are unavailable due to medical ...responder medical tasks, mastery of communication systems, and basic reporting requirements. The unit can progress to small-unit level collective training

Alignment of an interprofessional student learning experience with a hospital quality improvement initiative.

PubMed

Fowler, Terri O; Wise, Holly H; Mauldin, Mary P; Ragucci, Kelly R; Scheurer, Danielle B; Su, Zemin; Mauldin, Patrick D; Bailey, Jennifer R; Borckardt, Jeffrey J

2018-04-11

Assessment of interprofessional education (IPE) frequently focuses on students' learning outcomes including changes in knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes. While a foundational education in the values and information of their chosen profession is critical, interprofessional learning follows a continuum from formal education to practice. The continuum increases in significance and complexity as learning becomes more relationship based and dependent upon the ability to navigate complex interactions with patients, families, communities, co-workers, and others. Integrating IPE into collaborative practice is critical to enhancing students' experiential learning, developing teamwork competencies, and understanding the complexity of teams. This article describes a project that linked students with a hospital-based quality-improvement effort to focus on the acquisition and practice of teamwork skills and to determine the impact of teamwork on patient and quality outcome measures. A hospital unit was identified with an opportunity for improvement related to quality care, patient satisfaction, employee engagement, and team behaviours. One hundred and thirty-seven students from six health profession colleges at the Medical University of South Carolina underwent TeamSTEPPS® training and demonstrated proficiency of their teamwork-rating skills with the TeamSTEPPS® Team Performance Observation Tool (T-TPO). Students observed real-time team behaviours of unit staff before and after staff attended formal TeamSTEPPS® training. The students collected a total of 778 observations using the T-TPO. Teamwork performance on the unit improved significantly across all T-TPO domains (team structure, communication, leadership, situation monitoring, and mutual support). Significant improvement in each domain continued post-intervention and at 15-month follow-up, improvement remained significant compared to baseline. Student engagement in TeamSTEPPS® training and demonstration of their reliability as teamwork-observers was a valuable learning experience and also yielded an opportunity to gather unique, and otherwise difficult to attain, data from a hospital unit for use by quality managers and administrators.

Effects of explicit and implicit prompts on students' inquiry practices in computer-supported learning environments in high school earth science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Su-Chi; Hsu, Ying-Shao; Hsu, Wei Hsiu

2016-07-01

The study explored how to best use scaffolds for supporting students' inquiry practices in computer-supported learning environments. We designed a series of inquiry units assisted with three versions of written inquiry prompts (generic and context-specific); that is, three scaffold-fading conditions: implicit, explicit, and fading. We then examined how the three scaffold-fading conditions influenced students' conceptual understanding, understanding of scientific inquiry, and inquiry abilities. Three grade-10 classes (N = 105) participated in this study; they were randomly assigned to and taught in the three conditions. Data-collection procedures included a pretest-posttest approach and in-depth observations of the target students. The findings showed that after these inquiry units, all of the students exhibited significant learning gains in conceptual knowledge and performed better inquiry abilities regardless of which condition was used. The explicit and fading conditions were more effective in enhancing students' understanding of scientific inquiry. The fading condition tended to better support the students' development of inquiry abilities and help transfer these abilities to a new setting involving an independent socioscientific task about where to build a dam. The results suggest that fading plays an essential role in enhancing the effectiveness of scaffolds.

Life Stories of Graduate Students in Chile and the United States: Becoming a Scientist from Childhood to Adulthood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva Fernandez, Marta A.

The purpose of this cross-national study was to gain a more comprehensive understanding about doctoral students in the United States and Chile and how their decisions to pursue a career in the life sciences field occurred throughout their lives. . I interviewed 15 doctoral students from the Seven Lakes University (Chile) and 15 students from the West Coast University (US), using a life history approach. Analyses revealed that the degree of flexibility in the schooling system and the degree of individualism and collectivism of the social groups in which the students were learning science seemed to influence the informants' vocational decisions in three interrelated processes: (1) Deciding the informants' degree of interest and ability in science by the opportunity of choosing science classes and activities. The highly tracked Chilean system socializes students to science at an early age. The more flexible school system in the US enabled the interviewees to gradually decide about pursuing their interest in science; (2) Experiencing science as a collective learning process for the Chilean informants and an individualistic learning process for the US students; (3) Perceiving science differently at each life stage for both groups of interviewees including: Playing science, Studying science, Doing science, Working in science, Practicing Science in their doctoral programs.

Quality of doctoral nursing education in the United Kingdom: exploring the views of doctoral students and staff based on a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

PubMed

McKenna, Hugh; Keeney, Sinead; Kim, Mi Ja; Park, Chang Gi

2014-07-01

To evaluate the quality of doctoral education in nursing in the United Kingdom. In recent decades, doctoral education programmes in nursing are increasing worldwide. There are many reasons for this and concerns have been raised regarding the quality of provision in and across countries. To date, the quality of doctoral education on a global level has not been reported in the literature. This United Kingdom study is part of a seven country investigation into the quality of doctoral education in nursing (Australia, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States of America). A quantitative study using a cross-sectional comparative survey design. An online survey was administered to collect the views of doctoral students and staff members on four domains: programme, faculty/staff, resource and evaluation. The study was carried out between 2010-2012. In most cases, staff perceived these more positively than students and the differences in perception were often statistically significant. Interestingly, many students rated the quality of supervision as excellent, whereas no staff member rated supervision this highly. The crucial importance of resources was confirmed in the path analysis of the four Quality of Doctoral Nursing Education domains. This demonstrates that investment in resources is much more cost-effective than investment in the other domains in relation to improving the overall quality of doctoral education in nursing. This study has wide-ranging implications for how the quality of doctoral education is monitored and enhanced. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Inside Maine’s Medicine Cabinet: Findings From the Drug Enforcement Administration's Medication Take-Back Events

PubMed Central

Malinowski, Alexandra; Ochs, Leslie; Jaramillo, Jeanie; McCall, Kenneth; Sullivan, Meghan

2015-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated the quantity and type of medications obtained in unused-medications return programs and the proportion of medication waste. Methods. We analyzed data collected in 11 Maine cities in 2011 to 2013 during 6 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) national medication take-back events. Pharmacy doctoral student volunteers collected data under the supervision of law enforcement, independent of the DEA. Data entry into the Pharmaceutical Collection Monitoring System, through its interface with Micromedex, allowed for analysis of medication classification, controlled substance category, therapeutic class, and percentage of medication waste (units returned/units dispensed). Results. Medication take-back events resulted in return of 13 599 individual medications from 1049 participants. We cataloged 553 019 units (capsules, tablets, milliliters, patches, or grams), representing 69.7% medication waste. Noncontrolled prescription medications accounted for 56.4% of returns, followed by over-the-counter medications (31.4%) and controlled prescription medications (9.1%). Conclusions. The significant quantities of medications, including controlled substances, returned and high degree of medication waste emphasize the need for medication collection programs to further public health research and improve health in our communities. PMID:25393189

Autonomy and self-determination theory in different contexts: A comparison of middle school science teachers' motivation and instruction in China and the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Laura Elizabeth

This study examined factors that contribute to Chinese and United States middle school science teachers' perceptions of autonomy support. Autonomy is one component of self-determination theory and has been associated with intrinsic motivation. The study used a mixed methods design including quantitative data collected through an online survey and qualitative data collected through open-ended interview questions. The online survey consisted of four assessments related to teachers' self-determination, perceptions of constraints at work, perceptions of students' self-determination, and level of autonomy support for students and allowed for the testing of the structural model developed by Pelletier, Seguin-Levesque, and Legault (2002). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of responses for the combined teacher sample (n=201) was carried out for each of the survey assessments. Significance testing for Chinese (n=107) and U.S. (n=94) teachers, based on the factors resulting from EFA, revealed significant differences in teachers' self-determination and perceptions of constraints at work. No significant differences were found for teachers' perceptions of students' self-determination or level of autonomy support for students. Multiple regression was used to predict teachers' autonomy support for students. For the Chinese teachers, perceptions of constraints at work, teachers' self-determination, and teachers' perceptions of student motivation were found to significantly predict teachers' autonomy support. For the U.S. teachers, teacher motivation was the only significant predictor of teachers' autonomy support. A sub-sample of the Chinese and U.S. science teachers (n=19) were interviewed about their perceived levels of autonomy support, constraints at work, and their students' self determination. The analyses of the interviews showed that teachers in both countries reported that autonomy was important to their motivation and the quality of instruction they provided to students. Teachers from the two countries differed in their satisfaction with current levels of autonomy and reported different constraints on teaching science related to materials, lab space, curriculum standards, and assessment.

Developing and applying quantitative skills maps for STEM curricula, with a focus on different modes of learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, Jackie; Wilkes, Janelle

2016-08-01

Mapping quantitative skills across the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula will help educators identify gaps and duplication in the teaching, practice and assessment of the necessary skills. This paper describes the development and implementation of quantitative skills mapping tools for courses in STEM at a regional university that offers both on-campus and distance modes of study. Key elements of the mapping project included the identification of key graduate quantitative skills, the development of curriculum mapping tools to record in which unit(s) and at what level of attainment each quantitative skill is taught, practised and assessed, and identification of differences in the way quantitative skills are developed for on-campus and distance students. Particular attention is given to the differences that are associated with intensive schools, which consist of concentrated periods of face-to-face learning over a three-four day period, and are available to distance education students enrolled in STEM units. The detailed quantitative skills mapping process has had an impact on the review of first-year mathematics units, resulted in crucial changes to the curriculum in a number of courses, and contributed to a more integrated approach, and a collective responsibility, to the development of students' quantitative skills for both face-to-face and online modes of learning.

Leadership Behavior That Produces a Positive College Climate: Putting Your Energy in the Right Places.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, J. Grant

Community colleges in the United States and Canada share common problems going into the 1990s, including funding constraints, aging personnel, underprepared students, low morale, burnout, collective bargaining, and declining enrollments. Satisfactory resolution of these critical issues and problems depends heavily on effective leadership at all…

Peace Education in Pakistan. Special Report 400

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Zahid Shahab

2017-01-01

With an eye to the theory that radicalization is a function of social and political marginalization more than of economic poverty, this report examines a cross-section of peace education initiatives in Pakistan. It relies on data collected through interviews with program teachers and students when possible. Funded by the United States Institute of…

The United State of Wyoming: Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative Boosts Reading Scores Statewide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lain, Sheryl

2014-01-01

When teachers collaborate in schools, taking collective responsibility to improve instruction and achieve goals, student performance improves and good results happen. Wyoming is one example of a state that uses peer-to-peer professional learning with notable results. Teachers joined together to form a statewide professional community and saw the…

Project Physics Reader 6, The Nucleus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

As a supplement to Project Physics Unit 6, a collection of articles is presented in this reader for student browsing. Five excerpts are concerned with the nuclear energy revolution, the 20th birthday and possible consequences of the atomic age, a scientist's view of science, and relations between mathematics and physics. Six book passages are…

Mental Health and People of Color. Curriculum Development and Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chunn, Jay C., II, Ed.; And Others

Representing a collective effort by scholars belonging to four ethnic minority groups in the United States (Blacks, Asian and Pacific Americans, American Indians, and Hispanic Americans), this book discusses training, curriculum, and research needs in the education of students who intend to enter the mental health professions and work with these…

Rainbows. ILGWU Worker-Family Education Program, Local 23-25--Chinatown Site.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Ladies Garment Workers' Union, New York, NY. Local 23-25.

The student magazine created by the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes of a local unit of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union is a collection of personal opinions, reports, and creative writing with illustrations. The Chinese immigrant community, where the magazine was produced, is reflected in the magazine's content. Sections…

A Century of Women's Bands in America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Jill M.

2008-01-01

Today, concert, jazz, and marching bands thrive in most communities as part of the schools in the United States, and many teachers and students of these groups are women. According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, girls outnumbered boys in instrumental ensembles in the years 1990,…

Project Physics Reader 3, The Triumph of Mechanics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

As a supplement to Project Physics Unit 3, a collection of articles is presented in this reader for student browsing. Four excerpts are given under the following headings: On the kinetic theory of gases, Maxwell's Demon, Introduction to Waves, and Scientific Cranks. Five articles are included in terms of energy, barometers, randomness, fiddle…

Teaching American Diplomacy Using Primary Sources: Cuba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraft, Michael; Anderson, David J.; Starbird, Caroline; Ertenberg, Samantha

2005-01-01

The purpose of this book is to allow high school students to examine the relationship between Cuba and the United States by studying a rich collection of primary materials and classroom-ready lessons which incorporate those materials. This book contains materials from 27 primary sources, including texts of speeches before the House and Senate,…

Ideas Plus: A Collection of Practical Teaching Ideas. Book Ten.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, IL.

Contributed by English teachers across the United States, the activities contained in this booklet are intended to promote the effective teaching of writing and literature. Teaching strategies offered in the first section of the booklet are designed to stimulate language exploration and include activities in which students write family newspapers…

Special Teaching in Higher Education: Successful Strategies for Access and Inclusion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Stuart, Ed.

This book addresses the issues raised by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA), which came into force in the United Kingdom in 2002. Chapters in the collection explore the learning requirements of any student who needs special teaching, whether because of limited English proficiency or disabilities. Part 1, "Introduction,"…

Connect Them Bones! An Interdisciplinary Study of Owl Pellets.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zipko, Stephen J.

1983-01-01

Discusses a field/laboratory study of the barn owl in which students collect and dissect owl pellets. Interdisciplinary lessons focus on eco-politics, reconstruction of owl prey skeletons, studies of predator-prey relationships, and construction/installation of nest boxes for owls and other birds. The unit begins and ends with an attitude…

Higher Education and the Law: A Guide for Managers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palfreyman, David, Ed.; Warner, David, Ed.

This collection of papers on legal issues and problems for higher education in the United Kingdom is organized into seven parts which address: (1) contexts, (2) governance, (3) the higher education institution and its staff and students, (4) the higher education institution and its academic activity, (5) the higher education institution as a…

Science Library of Test Items. Volume Four: Practical Testing Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New South Wales Dept. of Education, Sydney (Australia).

As one in a series of test items collections developed by the Assessment and Evaluation Unit of the Directorate of Studies, the guide gives a wide range of questions and activities for the manipulation of scientific equipment to allow assessment of students' practical laboratory skills. Instructions are given to make norm-referenced or…

Mixing It Up: Integrated, Interdisciplinary, Intriguing Science in the Elementary Classroom. An NSTA Press Journals Collection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Teachers Association, Arlington, VA.

This compendium of articles from "Science and Children", the elementary school journal of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), aims to help teachers build connections in their students' minds. The articles describe lessons and units that are interdisciplinary, both integrated and interdisciplinary, or thematic. Each article is…

An Exploration of the Formal Agricultural Education System in Trinidad and Tobago

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurst, Sara D.; Conner, Nathan W.; Stripling, Christopher T.; Blythe, Jessica; Giorgi, Aaron; Rubenstein, Eric D.; Futrell, Angel; Jenkins, Jenny; Roberts, T. Grady

2015-01-01

A team of nine researchers from the United States spent 10 days exploring the formal agricultural education system in Trinidad and Tobago from primary education through postgraduate education. Data were collected from interviews and observations from students, teachers/instructors, and agricultural producers. The team concluded that (a) the people…

Water Pollution Control Training: The Educational Role of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Frederick D.

Presented are the results of a study to determine the perceived needs of environmental control education programs as seen by students, instructors, deans or program directors, and field-related employers in the field of water pollution control. Data were collected utilizing three approaches: survey instruments, information from Water Quality…

Ideas Plus: A Collection of Practical Teaching Ideas. Book Eleven.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, IL.

Contributed by English teachers across the United States, the activities contained in this booklet are intended to promote the effective teaching of literature and writing. Teaching strategies offered in the first section of the booklet are designed to stimulate language exploration and include activities in which students choose their favorite…

Factors that facilitate or inhibit interest of domestic students in the engineering PhD: A mixed methods study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howell Smith, Michelle C.

Given the increasing complexity of technology in our society, the United States has a growing demand for a more highly educated technical workforce. Unfortunately, the proportion of United States citizens earning a PhD in engineering has been declining and there is concern about meeting the economic, national security and quality of life needs of our country. This mixed methods sequential exploratory instrument design study identified factors that facilitate or inhibit interest in engineering PhD programs among domestic engineering undergraduate students in the United States. This study developed a testable theory for how domestic students become interested in engineering PhD programs and a measure of that process, the Exploring Engineering Interest Inventory (EEII). The study was conducted in four phases. The first phase of the study was a qualitative grounded theory exploration of interest in the engineering PhD. Qualitative data were collected from domestic engineering students, engineering faculty and industry professional who had earned a PhD in engineering. The second phase, instrument development, developed the Exploring Engineering Interest Inventory (EEII), a measurement instrument designed with good psychometric properties to test a series of preliminary hypotheses related to the theory generated in the qualitative phase. In the third phase of the study, the EEII was used to collect data from a larger sample of junior and senior engineering majors. The fourth phase integrated the findings from the qualitative and quantitative phases. Four factors were identified as being significant influences of interest in the engineering PhD: Personal characteristics, educational environment, misperceptions of the economic and personal costs, and misperceptions of engineering work. Recommendations include increasing faculty encouragement of students to pursue an engineering PhD and programming to correct the misperceptions of the costs of the engineering PhD and the nature of the work that PhD engineers do. The tested model provides engineering educators with information to help them prioritize their efforts to increase interest in the engineering PhD among domestic students.

Teaching and learning grade 7 science concepts by elaborate analogies: Mainstream and East and South Asian ESL students' experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Judy Joo-Hyun

This study explored the effectiveness of an instructional tool, elaborate analogy, in teaching the particle theory to both Grade 7 mainstream and East or South Asian ESL students. Ten Grade 7 science classes from five different schools in a large school district in the Greater Toronto area participated. Each of the ten classes were designated as either Group X or Y. Using a quasi-experimental counterbalanced design, Group X students were taught one science unit using the elaborate analogies, while Group Y students were taught by their teachers' usual methods of teaching. The instructional methods used for Group X and Y were interchanged for the subsequent science unit. Quantitative data were collected from 95 students (50 mainstream and 45 ESL) by means of a posttest and a follow-up test for each of the units. When the differences between mainstream and East or South Asian ESL students were analyzed, the results indicate that both groups scored higher on the posttests when they were instructed with elaborate analogies, and that the difference between the two groups was not significant. That is, the ESL students, as well as the mainstream students, benefited academically when they were instructed with the elaborate analogies. The students obtained higher inferential scores on the posttest when their teacher connected the features of less familiar and more abstract scientific concepts to the features of the familiar and easy-to-visualize concept of school dances. However, after two months, the students were unable to recall inferential content knowledge. This is perhaps due to the lack of opportunity for the students to represent and test their initial mental models. Rather than merely employing elaborate analogies, perhaps, science teachers can supplement the use of elaborate analogies with explicit guidance in helping students to represent and test the coherence of their mental models.

Ground-penetrating radar and differential global positioning system data collected from Long Beach Island, New Jersey, April 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zaremba, Nicholas J.; Smith, Kathryn E.L.; Bishop, James M.; Smith, Christopher G.

2016-08-04

Scientists from the United States Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, and students from the University of Hawaii at Manoa collected sediment cores, sediment surface grab samples, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) data from within the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge–Holgate Unit located on the southern end of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, in April 2015 (FAN 2015-611-FA). The study’s objective was to identify washover deposits in the stratigraphic record to aid in understanding barrier island evolution. This report is an archive of GPR and DGPS data collected from Long Beach Island in 2015. Data products, including raw GPR and processed DGPS data, elevation corrected GPR profiles, and accompanying Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata can be downloaded from the Data Downloads page.

Exciting middle and high school students about immunology: an easy, inquiry-based lesson.

PubMed

Lukin, Kara

2013-03-01

High school students in the United States are apathetic about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and the workforce pipeline in these areas is collapsing. The lack of understanding of basic principles of biology means that students are unable to make educated decisions concerning their personal health. To address these issues, we have developed a simple, inquiry-based outreach lesson centered on a mouse dissection. Students learn key concepts in immunology and enhance their understanding of human organ systems. The experiment highlights aspects of the scientific method and authentic data collection and analysis. This hands-on activity stimulates interest in biology, personal health and careers in STEM fields. Here, we present all the information necessary to execute the lesson effectively with middle and high school students.

An examination of variables which influence high school students to enroll in an undergraduate engineering or physical science major

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, Christopher H.

The purpose of this study was to examine the variables which influence a high school student to enroll in an engineering discipline versus a physical science discipline. Data was collected utilizing the High School Activities, Characteristics, and Influences Survey, which was administered to students who were freshmen in an engineering or physical science major at an institution in the Southeastern United States. A total of 413 students participated in the survey. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, two-sample Wilcoxon tests, and binomial logistic regression techniques. A total of 29 variables were deemed significant between the general engineering and physical science students. The 29 significant variables were further analyzed to see which have an independent impact on a student to enroll in an undergraduate engineering program, as opposed to an undergraduate physical science program. Four statistically significant variables were found to have an impact on a student's decision to enroll in a engineering undergraduate program versus a physical science program: father's influence, participation in Project Lead the Way, and the subjects of mathematics and physics. Recommendations for theory, policy, and practice were discussed based on the results of the study. This study presented suggestions for developing ways to attract, educate, and move future engineers into the workforce.

1.2 million kids and counting-Mobile science laboratories drive student interest in STEM.

PubMed

Jones, Amanda L; Stapleton, Mary K

2017-05-01

In today's increasingly technological society, a workforce proficient in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills is essential. Research has shown that active engagement by K-12 students in hands-on science activities that use authentic science tools promotes student learning and retention. Mobile laboratory programs provide this type of learning in schools and communities across the United States and internationally. Many programs are members of the Mobile Lab Coalition (MLC), a nonprofit organization of mobile and other laboratory-based education programs built on scientist and educator collaborations. A recent survey of the member programs revealed that they provide an impressive variety of programming and have collectively served over 1.2 million students across the US.

Students Collecting Real time Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, P.

2006-05-01

Students Collecting Real-Time Data The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary has created opportunities for middle and high school students to become Student Researchers and to be involved in real-time marine data collection. It is important that we expose students to different fields of science and encourage them to enter scientific fields of study. The Humpback Whale Sanctuary has an education visitor center in Kihei, Maui. Located right on the beach, the site has become a living classroom facility. There is a traditional Hawaiian fishpond fronting the property. The fishpond wall is being restored, using traditional methods. The site has the incredible opportunity of incorporating Hawaiian cultural practices with scientific studies. The Sanctuary offers opportunities for students to get involved in monitoring and data collection studies. Invasive Seaweed Study: Students are collecting data on invasive seaweed for the University of Hawaii. They pull a large net through the shallow waters. Seaweed is sorted, identified and weighed. The invasive seaweeds are removed. The data is recorded and sent to UH. Remote controlled monitoring boats: The sanctuary has 6 boogie board sized remote controlled boats used to monitor reefs. Boats have a camera with lights on the underside. The boats have water quality monitoring devices and GPS units. The video from the underwater camera is transmitted via a wireless transmission. Students are able to monitor the fish, limu and invertebrate populations on the reef and collect water quality data via television monitors or computers. The boat can also pull a small plankton tow net. Data is being compiled into data bases. Artificial Reef Modules: The Sanctuary has a scientific permit from the state to build and deploy artificial reef modules. High school students are designing and building modules. These are deployed out in the Fishpond fronting the Sanctuary site and students are monitoring them on a weekly basis. Students are also building traditional Hawaiian modules, these being piles of rocks and attaching seaweeds to the rocks with natural fibers. The purpose of all these is to help restore habitat to the fishpond. Monitoring the Fishpond; The fishpond wall is presently being rebuilt. The new wall stands about eight feet high and twelve feet wide. The rocks to rebuild the wall are all being located underwater where the old wall stood. The state has required different information collected as the wall is reconstructed. Students GPS mapped the rock edges of the fallen wall, and will continue to map the progress of the new wall. Other students are monitoring the erosion of the sand dunes that front the edges of the wall and are also looking at the new deposition of sand in the pond. Students are snorkeling, running transects and collecting data on the changing populations of fish, invertebrates and seaweeds in the pond. The wall is only about a forth built and already we are seeing growth in the populations. Students and teachers work with the sanctuary staff to develop projects. The sanctuary loans the equipment to the students and the students collect the data for the sanctuary. It is a great partnership with the schools. The Sanctuary has been given a Congressional Earmark this year to develop marine curriculum for the Department of Education. Projects listed above are part of this curriculum with hopes of many more to be developed. By 2008, all seniors must participate in some type of research project to graduate. The goal is to offer opportunities for many of these projects to become marine science related projects and thus develop a budding new group of marine scientists.

Opportunities and challenges in integrating electronic health records into undergraduate medical education: a national survey of clerkship directors.

PubMed

Hammoud, Maya M; Margo, Katherine; Christner, Jennifer G; Fisher, Jonathan; Fischer, Shira H; Pangaro, Louis N

2012-01-01

Few studies have reported on the utilization and the effect of electronic health records on the education of medical students. The purpose of this study was to describe the current use of electronic health records by medical students in the United States and explore the opportunities and challenges of integrating electronic health records into daily teaching of medical students. A survey with 24 questions regarding the use of electronic health records by medical students was developed by the Alliance for Clinical Educators and sent to clerkship directors across the United States. Both quantitative and qualitative responses were collected and analyzed to determine current access to and use of electronic health records by medical students. This study found that an estimated 64% of programs currently allow student use of electronic health records, of which only two thirds allowed students to write notes within the electronic record. Overall, clerkship directors' opinions on the effects of electronic health records on medical student education were neutral, and despite acknowledging many advantages to electronic health records, there were many concerns raised regarding their use in education. Medical students are using electronic health records at higher rates than physicians in practice. Although this is overall reassuring, educators have to be cautious about the limitations being placed on student's documentation in electronic health records as this can potentially have consequences on their training, and they need to explore ways to maximize the benefits of electronic health records in medical education.

Assessment of Students' Sense of Community in Distance Education Classrooms of U.S. Dental Hygiene Programs.

PubMed

Smilyanski, Irina A; Boyd, Linda D; Perry, Kristeen R; Rothman, Andrew T; Jenkins, Susan

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the association between distance education (DE) and students' sense of classroom community (SCC) in U.S. dental hygiene programs. The concept of SCC is recognized to have an influence on students' educational outcomes. With the goal of increasing diversity among future dental professionals, there comes a need to accommodate students of various backgrounds through the use of DE. The impact of DE on students' SCC has not been studied in previous research. This 2014 cross-sectional survey study looked at a convenience sample of dental hygiene students finishing their first or second clinical year to assess their SCC. Participating programs had both host and satellite campuses and utilized DE for didactic course delivery at the remote sites. To calculate the students' sense of community, Rovai's Classroom Community Scale (CCS) was utilized, and demographic information was collected. Six of the 13 eligible programs agreed to participate; the overall response rate for individual students was 25%. When evaluated on their sense of community, the satellite college-based students scored 26.47 CCS units and 14.51 learning subscale units lower than the host college-based students. These results suggested a negative association between the students' sense of community and their affiliation with satellite campuses when controlled for demographic variables. The findings suggest a negative trend in the SCC for dental hygiene students on remote campuses and utilizing DE for a portion of their curriculum. This trend can potentially decrease students' educational success and satisfaction and should be addressed.

[Use of the film Keep on the open road in palliative care education of undergraduate medical students : Proof-of-concept study].

PubMed

Dietz, I; Gerbershagen, K; Mielke, A; Pattberg, S; Pesch, E; Poels, M; Schmalz, O; Joppich, R

2012-09-01

Recently palliative care has become an integral and compulsory part of undergraduate medical training in Germany. From 2014 onwards every German medical faculty must have developed and implemented undergraduate teaching in this cross-disciplinary medical field and to conduct examinations. At Witten/Herdecke University (Germany) this new cross-sectional course in palliative care was taught for the first time in 2011. The film "Keep on the open road" was incorporated and the use of this film as part of compulsory palliative care education was evaluated from the student perspective. In two teaching units (1.5 h each) the film was watched with the students and discussed in the context of the palliative care setting with a special focus on psychosocial aspects. A semi-quantitative evaluation was performed after the debriefing. A total of 23 students participated in the course, 87 % (n = 20) evaluated the use of the film as unrestricted useful and 14 indicated a benefit from the film in terms of their medical attitude. Most of the students (n = 19, 83%) did not consider bed-side teaching to be more useful than the film unit. The free text answers underlined that primarily the multidisciplinary aspects of a palliative treatment situation and the meaning of a social environment were highlighted by the film. According to the evaluation of the students and the judgement of the participating teachers the use of the film is a suitable method to clarify complex medical, social and psychological aspects in palliative care. Especially at faculties with much larger numbers of students the film unit is thought to be a helpful method to teach psychosocial aspects and to promote development of attitude in palliative care. In future semesters further experience with the unit and the use of films in palliative care teaching will be collected.

The impact of constructivist teaching strategies on the acquisition of higher order cognition and learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merrill, Alison Saricks

The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative mixed design study was to compare the effectiveness of brain-based teaching strategies versus a traditional lecture format in the acquisition of higher order cognition as determined by test scores. A second purpose was to elicit student feedback about the two teaching approaches. The design was a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design study with repeated measures on the last factor. The independent variables were type of student, teaching method, and a within group change over time. Dependent variables were a between group comparison of pre-test, post-test gain scores and a within and between group comparison of course examination scores. A convenience sample of students enrolled in medical-surgical nursing was used. One group (n=36) was made up of traditional students and the other group (n=36) consisted of second-degree students. Four learning units were included in this study. Pre- and post-tests were given on the first two units. Course examinations scores from all four units were compared. In one cohort two of the units were taught via lecture format and two using constructivist activities. These methods were reversed for the other cohort. The conceptual basis for this study derives from neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Learning is defined as the growth of new dendrites. Cognitive psychologists view learning as a constructive activity in which new knowledge is built on an internal foundation of existing knowledge. Constructivist teaching strategies are designed to stimulate the brain's natural learning ability. There was a statistically significant difference based on type of teaching strategy (t = -2.078, df = 270, p = .039, d = .25)) with higher mean scores on the examinations covering brain-based learning units. There was no statistical significance based on type of student. Qualitative data collection was conducted in an on-line forum at the end of the semester. Students had overall positive responses about the constructivist activities. Major themes were described. Constructivist strategies help bridge the gap between neurological and cognitive sciences and classroom teaching and learning. A variety of implications for nursing educators are outlined as well as directions for future research.

Revitalizing chemistry laboratory instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McBride, Phil Blake

This dissertation involves research in three major domains of chemical education as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. program in chemistry at Miami University with a major emphasis on chemical education, and concurrent study in organic chemistry. Unit I, Development and Assessment of a Column Chromatography Laboratory Activity, addresses the domain of Instructional Materials Development and Testing. This unit outlines the process of developing a publishable laboratory activity, testing and revising that activity, and subsequently sharing that activity with the chemical education community. A laboratory activity focusing on the separation of methylene blue and sodium fluorescein was developed to demonstrate the effects of both the stationary and mobile phase in conducting a separation. Unit II, Bringing Industry to the Laboratory, addresses the domain of Curriculum Development and Testing. This unit outlines the development of the Chemistry of Copper Mining module, which is intended for use in high school or undergraduate college chemistry. The module uses the learning cycle approach to present the chemistry of the industrial processes of mining copper to the students. The module includes thirteen investigations (three of which are web-based and ten which are laboratory experiments) and an accompanying interactive CD-ROM, which provides an explanation of the chemistry used in copper mining with a virtual tour of an operational copper mine. Unit III, An Alternative Method of Teaching Chemistry. Integrating Lecture and the Laboratory, is a project that addresses the domain of Research in Student Learning. Fundamental Chemistry was taught at Eastern Arizona College as an integrated lecture/laboratory course that met in two-hour blocks on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The students taking this integrated course were compared with students taking the traditional 1-hour lectures held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with accompanying 3-hour lab on Tuesday or Thursday. There were 119 students in the test group, 522 students in the Shelton control group and 556 students in the McBride control group. Both qualitative data and quantitative data were collected. A t-test was used to test significance.

Lesson Plans for a Secondary Level Unit on Japan To Accompany "Contemporary Japan: A Teaching Workbook."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsunoda, Elizabeth P.; And Others

These 30 lesson plans were designed to accompany "Contemporary Japan: A Teaching Workbook", a collection of class activities, primary source selections, student readings, and role-play exercises. The lesson plans are based primarily on materials in the workbook, although materials from other sources also are recommended. Some of the…

Preventing School Violence: What Schools Can Do. Hot Topics Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosworth, Kris, Ed.

This collection of papers provide a range of data on dealing with violence in the schools and communities, focusing on risk factors and correlates of youth violence, how violence affects young people, and how schools can help students avoid violence. The papers include: "Youth Violence in the United States: Major Trends, Risk Factors, and…

Identity Exploration, Commitment, and Distress: A Cross National Investigation in China, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Steven L.; You, Yu-Fang; Schwartz, Seth; Teo, Grace; Mochizuki, Kohei

2011-01-01

This study tested cross cultural measurement equivalence of three identity constructs by testing the factor invariance among participants from four nations. Data from measures of identity exploration, commitment, and distress were collected from university students in Mainland China (n = 85), Taiwan (n = 117), Japan (n = 117), and the United…

Digital Technology and Creative Arts Career Patterns in the UK Creative Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comunian, Roberta; Faggian, Alessandra; Jewell, Sarah

2015-01-01

In this article, we ask what role both digital and artistic human capital play in the creative economy by examining employment patterns of digital technology (DT) and creative arts and design (CAD) graduates. Using student micro-data collected by the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) in the United Kingdom, we investigate the…

Creating a Schoolyard Mini-Garden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia-Ruiz, Francisca

2009-01-01

The creation of schoolyard gardens is a growing movement in the United States and around the world (Ballard, Tong, and Usher 1998; Pope 1998; Lewis 2004). It brings together all of the features of authentic hands-on science: Students can collect data on plant growth, observe the plant and animal interactions in the garden, and acquire a sense of…

Project Physics Reader 5, Models of the Atom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA. Harvard Project Physics.

As a supplement to Project Physics Unit 5, a collection of articles is presented in this reader for student browsing. Nine excerpts are given under the following headings: failure and success, Einstein, Mr. Tompkins and simultaneity, parable of the surveyors, outside and inside the elevator, the teacher and the Bohr theory of atom, Dirac and Born,…

The Spatial Distribution of Smoking Violations on a No-Smoking Campus: Implications for Prevention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pires, Stephen F.; Block, Steven; Belance, Ronald; Marteache, Nerea

2016-01-01

Objective: The present study extends research on campus smoking bans by examining where smokers are violating the policy at a large university in the southeastern region of the United States. Participants: The data collection was conducted by one graduate student from the university in August of 2014. Methods: A global positioning system device…

Juvenile Justice and Students with Disabilities: State Infrastructure and Initiatives. inForum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Eve

2006-01-01

According to data collected in 2003 by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), just over 96,000 youth were incarcerated in juvenile correctional facilities throughout the United States (not including those being held in detention). An additional 10,000 youth were in state prisons or adult jails during the same time,…

Teaching through Trade Books: Sunrise, Sunset, and Shadows

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royce, Christine Anne

2015-01-01

December brings the winter solstice, the day with the shortest amount of sunlight for the northern hemisphere. Students can notice the pattern of days getting darker earlier across the United States up to this point and then notice as the amount of sunlight starts to increase in the following months. Through making observations and collecting data…

Common Goal Unites District: Leaders and Teachers Build Literacy and a Collective Responsibility for Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michelson, Joanna; Bailey, James A.

2016-01-01

Educators across the nation have been responding to the push for content-area literacy instruction in their systems. While the press for higher academic standards has sharpened national focus on the reading of complex, discipline-specific informational texts, educators have been grappling with how to help science, social studies, and vocational…

Strong Foundations 2016: The State of State Postsecondary Data Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, John; Whitfield, Christina

2016-01-01

This report addresses two key questions about postsecondary student unit record data systems (PSURSs): (1) What data are collected by various parties; and (2) how do these entities use the data to inform policy decisions? This 2016 report is both a follow-up and a redesign of two previous "Strong Foundations" reports by SHEEO (2010 and…

Interrater Reliability among Elementary Principals Using the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazurek, Sharon Ann

2012-01-01

Teacher observation remains one of the primary data collection methods for analyzing teaching behaviors. States use various evaluation instruments and current trends across the United States show that more states are working to tie teacher evaluation to student performance. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent there was…

Images of Germany, Past and Present: A Film Collection. Series I, Instructional Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goethe House, New York, NY.

This set of lessons accompanies a series of 30-minute films for teaching about Germany. Available to educators throughout the United States upon request, the 17 films and accompanying instructional activities focus on culture, politics, economics, society, and sports and are appropriate for middle and high school students. Permission is granted to…

The Young Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, John J.

This book, intended for juveniles and young students, provides an encyclopedic collection of reference information about the U.S. Supreme Court. The articles are arranged alphabetically to aid in looking up words, ideas, or names. Lists of "see also" entries are located at the end of articles to refer the reader to related subjects. The…

Learning to Do Diversity Work: A Model for Continued Education of Program Organizers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dounas-Frazer, Dimitri R.; Hyater-Adams, Simone A.; Reinholz, Daniel L.

2017-01-01

Physics and physics education in the United States suffer from severe (and, in some cases, worsening) underrepresentation of Black, Latinx, and Native American people of all genders and women of all races and ethnicities. In this paper, we describe an approach to facilitating physics students' collective and continued education about such…

"A Pesar De Las Fronteras"/"In Spite of the Boundaries": Exploring Solidarity in the Context of International Service Immersion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gates, Alice B.; Fletcher, C. Vail; Ruíz-Tolento, María Guadalupe; Goble, Laura; Velloso, Tadeu

2014-01-01

The move to "internationalize" United States universities has contributed to increased interest in global service-learning. This article presents qualitative data collected by a team of faculty and students during a service immersion in Nicaragua. The solidarity model of service-learning attempts to address shortcomings of earlier…

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 55: Career goals and educational preparation of aerospace engineering and science students: An international perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Kennedy, John M.; Barclay, Rebecca O.

1995-01-01

Results are presented of a survey of aerospace engineering and science students conducted in India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The similarities and differences among aerospace engineering and science students from the five countries are examined in the context of two general aspects of educational experience. First, the extent to which students differ regarding the factors that led to the choice of a career in aerospace, their current levels of satisfaction with that choice, and career-related goals and objectives is considered. Second, the importance of certain communications/information-use skills for professional use is examined, as well as the frequency of use and importance of specific information sources and products to meet students' educational needs. Overall, the students who participated in this research remain relatively happy with the choice of a career in aerospace engineering, despite pessimism in some quarters about the future of the industry. Regardless of national identity, aerospace engineering and science students appear to share a similar vision of the profession in terms of their career goals and aspirations. The data also indicate that aerospace engineering and science students are well aware of the importance of communications/information-use skills to professional success and that competency in these skills will help them to be productive members of their profession. Collectively, all of the students appear to use and value similar information sources and products, although some differences appear by country.

Predictors of well-being among college students.

PubMed

Ridner, S Lee; Newton, Karen S; Staten, Ruth R; Crawford, Timothy N; Hall, Lynne A

2016-01-01

Identification of health-related risk behaviors associated with well-being in college students is essential to guide the development of health promotion strategies for this population. The purposes were to evaluate well-being among undergraduate students and to identify health-related risk behaviors that predict well-being in this population. A cross-sectional Web-based survey of undergraduate students was conducted at a metropolitan university in the Southeast United States. A total of 568 students responded (response rate 14.2%). Data were collected on health-related risk behaviors using the National College Health Assessment II. Controlling demographic characteristics, the best predictive model included physical activity, current tobacco user, depression, ever received mental health services, and sleep quality, which was the strongest predictor (β = .45, p < .001). This model explained 35% of the variance in well-being. Interventions that promote sleep quality among college students may be most beneficial in improving well-being.

Additional Crime Scenes for Projectile Motion Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fullerton, Dan; Bonner, David

2011-12-01

Building students' ability to transfer physics fundamentals to real-world applications establishes a deeper understanding of underlying concepts while enhancing student interest. Forensic science offers a great opportunity for students to apply physics to highly engaging, real-world contexts. Integrating these opportunities into inquiry-based problem solving in a team environment provides a terrific backdrop for fostering communication, analysis, and critical thinking skills. One such activity, inspired jointly by the museum exhibit "CSI: The Experience"2 and David Bonner's TPT article "Increasing Student Engagement and Enthusiasm: A Projectile Motion Crime Scene,"3 provides students with three different crime scenes, each requiring an analysis of projectile motion. In this lesson students socially engage in higher-order analysis of two-dimensional projectile motion problems by collecting information from 3-D scale models and collaborating with one another on its interpretation, in addition to diagramming and mathematical analysis typical to problem solving in physics.

Urban Middle School Students' Perceptions of the Value and Difficulty of Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandoval, William A.; Harven, Aletha M.

2011-02-01

Following their participation in a guided-inquiry unit, 129 seventh-graders from five diverse urban middle schools were asked about their perceptions of specific inquiry tasks, from an expectancy-value framework. Students were asked to rate the interest value, utility value, and task difficulty of (a) data collection design; (b) explanation; (c) data analysis; and (d) citing evidence for claims. The utility of all tasks was rated highly, while interest ratings were moderate. Students perceived these tasks as moderately different from their usual work, and not especially difficult. No gender differences were found in students' ratings. Investigation tasks were rated as more interesting and useful than argumentation tasks. Students from lower SES schools found all tasks more useful and interesting than their peers in higher SES schools. Students' justifications for their ratings suggest they valued the utility of knowing how to back up their ideas with evidence.

Preparing clinical laboratory science students with teaching skills.

PubMed

Isabel, Jeanne M

2010-01-01

Training clinical laboratory science (CLS) students in techniques of preparation and delivery of an instructional unit is an important component of all CLS education programs and required by the national accrediting agency. Participants of this study included students admitted to the CLS program at Northern Illinois University and enrolled in the teaching course offered once a year between the years of 1997 and 2009. Courses on the topic of "teaching" may be regarded by CLS students as unnecessary. However, entry level practitioners are being recruited to serve as clinical instructors soon after entering the workforce. Evaluation of the data collected indicates that students are better prepared to complete tasks related to instruction of a topic after having an opportunity to study and practice skills of teaching. Mentoring CLS students toward the career role of clinical instructor or professor is important to maintaining the workforce.

A comparative case study of the characteristics of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) focused high schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, Catherine Elizabeth

This study examined the characteristics of 10 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) focused high schools. A comparative case designed was used to identify key components of STEM school designs. Schools were selected from various regions across the United States. Data collected included websites, national statistics database, standardized test scores, interviews and published articles. Results from this study indicate that there is a variety of STEM high school programs designed to increase students' ability to pursue college degrees in STEM fields. The school mission statements influence the overall school design. Students at STEM schools must submit an application to be admitted to STEM high schools. Half of the STEM high schools used a lottery system to select students. STEM high schools have a higher population of black students and a lower population of white and Hispanic students than most schools in the United States. They serve about the same number of economically disadvantaged students. The academic programs at STEM high schools are more rigorous with electives focused on STEM content. In addition to coursework requirements, students must also complete internships and/or a capstone project. Teachers who teach in STEM schools are provided regularly scheduled professional development activities that focus on STEM content and pedagogy. Teachers provide leadership in the development and delivery of the professional development activities.

A cross-national study to objectively evaluate the quality of diverse simulation approaches for undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Kable, Ashley K; Levett-Jones, Tracy L; Arthur, Carol; Reid-Searl, Kerry; Humphreys, Melanie; Morris, Sara; Walsh, Pauline; Witton, Nicola J

2018-01-01

The aim of this paper is to report the results of a cross-national study that evaluated a range of simulation sessions using an observation schedule developed from evidence-based quality indicators. Observational data were collected from 17 simulation sessions conducted for undergraduate nursing students at three universities in Australia and the United Kingdom. The observation schedule contained 27 questions that rated simulation quality. Data were collected by direct observation and from video recordings of the simulation sessions. Results indicated that the highest quality scores were for provision of learning objectives prior to the simulation session (90%) and debriefing (72%). Student preparatiosn and orientation (67%) and perceived realism and fidelity (67%) were scored lower than other components of the simulation sessions. This observational study proved to be an effective strategy to identify areas of strength and those needing further development to improve simulation sessions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment within Eighth Grade Science Classrooms for Special Needs Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riedell, Kate Elizabeth

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) cemented the fact that students with disabilities must be placed in the least restrictive environment and be given the necessary supports to help them succeed (Lawrence-Brown, 2004). This provides significant challenges for general education teachers, especially in an era of standards based reform with the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSSI, 2014) by most states, along with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2013). While a variety of methods, strategies, and techniques are available to teachers, there is a dearth of literature that clearly investigates how teachers take into account the ability and motivation of students with special needs when planning and implementing curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Thus, this study sought to investigate this facet through the lens of differentiation, personalization, individualization and universal design for learning (UDL) (CAST, 2015), all of which are designed to meet the needs of diverse learners, including students with special needs. An embedded single-case study design (Yin, 2011) was used in this study with the case being differentiated and/or personalized curriculum, instruction and/or assessment, along with UDL for students with special needs, with each embedded unit of analysis being one eighth grade general education science teacher. Analyzing each sub-unit or case, along with a cross-case analysis, three eighth grade general education science teachers were observed over the course of two 10-day units of study in the fall and spring, as they collected artifacts and completed annotations within their electronic portfolios (ePortfolios). All three eighth grade general education science teachers collected ePortfolios as part of their participation in a larger study within California, "Measuring Next Generation Science Instruction Using Tablet-Based Teacher Portfolios," funded by the National Science Foundation. Each teacher also provided an in-depth interview as part of the data collection. This comprehensive set of over 200 pieces of data, which includes observations and interviews, as well as artifacts and annotations from the ePortfolios, was analyzed using a grounded theory approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Six central themes emerged from the data. The findings indicated that teachers incorporated some elements of differentiation, personalization and a limited number of components under UDL to support all learners, including students with special needs. There was no indication that the teachers implemented individualization. In other words, there was limited evidence that teachers planned specifically for meeting the needs of students with a specific disability; rather, they focused on collectively meeting the needs of all learners. They recognized the importance of accounting for student motivation and sought to provide hands-on, authentic learning opportunities to motivate and engage students. Yet, they did not survey and/or ask students for their perception of their classroom experiences. While teachers did utilize the electronic portfolio and found it valuable to varying degrees, they indicated that collaboration and visiting other classrooms were essential to their professional development. Implications from this study include (1) ensuring that teachers understand the differences among differentiation, personalization, individualization and universal design for learning; (2) training for teachers on how to properly differentiate, personalize and individualize instruction, as well as how to implement universal design for learning; (3) providing teachers with follow-up support within the classroom to properly implement the approaches mentioned above; (4) training for teachers on the importance of eliciting students' perceptions and how to gauge those perceptions; (5) properly disseminating information to policymakers on the realities of the classrooms and the challenges in accounting for the needs of diverse learners. Overall, teaching is complex, especially when supporting students with special needs in urban schools, and teachers need to be not only trusted, but supported in a professional manner.

Newborn physiological responses to noise in the neonatal unit.

PubMed

Cardoso, Sandra Maria Schefer; Kozlowski, Lorena de Cássia; Lacerda, Adriana Bender Moreira de; Marques, Jair Mendes; Ribas, Angela

2015-01-01

The incorporation of technologies in the care of infants has contributed to increased survival; however, this has turned neonatal unit into a noisy environment. To evaluate the physiological and functional effects resulting from the exposure to noise on low-weight newborns in incubators in a neonatal unit. Prospective, observational, quantitative, exploratory, descriptive study. The adopted statistical method included tables of frequency, descriptive statistics, and Student's t-test, with a 0.05 level of significance. As data collection tools, the environmental noise and the noise inside of the incubator were evaluated, and the Assessment of Preterm Infant Behavior scale was used to assess premature newborn behavior and projected specifically to document the neurobehavioral functioning of preterm infants. The data collection occurred from September of 2012 to April of 2013; 61 low-weight newborns admitted in the neonatal unit and in incubators were observed. Significant differences in the variables heart rate and oxygen saturation were noted when newborns were exposed to noise. Low-weight neonates in incubators present physiological alterations when facing discomfort caused by environmental noise in neonatal units. Copyright © 2015 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

High school chemistry students' learning of the elements, structure, and periodicity of the periodic table: Contributions of inquiry-based activities and exemplary graphics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roddy, Knight Phares, Jr.

The main research question of this study was: How do selected high school chemistry students' understandings of the elements, structure, and periodicity of the Periodic Table change as they participate in a unit study consisting of inquiry-based activities emphasizing construction of innovative science graphics? The research question was answered using a multiple case study/mixed model design which employed elements of both qualitative and quantitative methodologies during data collection and analyses. The unit study was conducted over a six-week period with 11th -grade students enrolled in a chemistry class. A purposive sample of six students from the class was selected to participate in interviews and concept map coconstruction (Wandersee & Abrams, 1993) periodically across the study. The progress of the selected students of the case study was compared to the progress of the class as a whole. The students of the case study were also compared to a group of high school chemistry students at a comparative school. The results show that the students from both schools left traditional instruction on the periodic table (lecture and textbook activities) with a very limited understanding of the topic. It also revealed that the inquiry-based, visual approach of the unit study helped students make significant conceptual progress in their understanding of the periodic table. The pictorial periodic table (which features photographs of the elements), used in conjunction with the graphic technique of data mapping, enhanced students understanding of the patterns of the physical properties of the elements on the periodic table. The graphic technique of compound mapping helped students learn reactivity patterns between types and groups of elements on the periodic table. The recreation of the periodic table with element cards created from the pictorial periodic table helped students progress in their understanding of periodicity and its key concepts. The Periodic Table Literacy Rubric (PTLR) proved to be a valuable tool for assessing students' conceptual progress, and helped to identify a critical juncture in the learning of periodicity. In addition, the PTLR rubric's historical-conceptual design demonstrates how the history of science can be used to inform today's science teaching.

Vocation, friendship and resilience: a study exploring nursing student and staff views on retention and attrition.

PubMed

Williamson, Graham R; Health, Val; Proctor-Childs, Tracey

2013-01-01

There is international concern about retention of student nurses on undergraduate programmes. United Kingdom Higher Education Institutions are monitored on their attrition statistics and can be penalised financially, so they have an incentive to help students remain on their programmes beyond their moral duty to ensure students receive the best possible educational experience. to understand students' and staff concerns about programmes and placements as part of developing our retention strategies. This study reports qualitative data on retention and attrition collected as part of an action research study. One University School of Nursing and Midwifery in the South West of England. Staff, current third year and ex-student nurses from the adult field. Data were collected in focus groups, both face-to face and virtual, and individual telephone interviews. These were transcribed and subjected to qualitative content analysis. FOUR THEMES EMERGED: Academic support, Placements and mentors, Stresses and the reality of nursing life, and Dreams for a better programme. The themes Academic support, Placements and mentors and Stresses and the reality of nursing life, resonate with international literature. Dreams for a better programme included smaller group learning. Vocation, friendship and resilience seem instrumental in retaining students, and Higher Education Institutions should work to facilitate these. 'Vocation' has been overlooked in the retention discussions, and working more actively to foster vocation and belongingness could be important.

Learning in and about rural places: Connections and tensions between students' everyday experiences and environmental quality issues in their community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Weible, Jennifer L.

2017-03-01

Guided by sociocultural perspectives on the importance of place as a resource for learning, we investigated 14- and 15-year old students' understandings of their community and water quality during a school-based watershed unit. Methods included a theory-driven thematic analysis of field notes and video transcripts from four biology classrooms, a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 67 pairs of matched pre- and post-intervention mindmaps, and a content analysis of 73 student reflections. As they learned about water quality, learners recognized the relevance of the watershed's health to the health of their community. Students acknowledged the impacts of local economically driven activities (e.g., natural gas wells, application of agrichemicals) and leisure activities (e.g., boating, fishing) on the watershed's environmental health. As students learned in and about their watershed, they experienced both connections and tensions between their everyday experiences and the environmental problems in their community. The students suggested individual sustainability actions needed to address water quality issues; however, the students struggled to understand how to act collectively. Implications of rural experiences as assets to future environmental sciences learning are discussed as well as the implications of educational experiences that do not include an advocacy component when students uncover environmental health issues. We suggest further consideration is needed on how to help young people develop action-oriented science knowledge, not just inert knowledge of environmental problems, during place-based education units.

Marine Science Summer Enrichment Camp's Impact Ocean Literacy for Middle School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Victoria Jewel

Although careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics have expanded in the United States, science literacy skills for K-12 students have declined from 2001 to 2011. Limited research has been conducted on the impact of science enrichment programs on the science literacy skills of K-12 students, particularly in marine science. The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of a marine science summer enrichment camp located in the eastern region of the United States on the ocean literacy skills of middle school students who participated in this camp. Weimar's learner centered teaching approach and the definition and principles of ocean literacy formed the conceptual framework. The central research question focused on how a marine science summer enrichment camp impacted the ocean literacy skills of middle grade students. A single case study research design was used with ten participants including 3 camp teachers, four students, and 3 parents of Grade 6-8 students who participated this camp in 2016. Data were collected from multiple sources including individual interviews of camp teachers, students, and parents, as well as camp documents and archival records. A constant comparative method was used to construct categories, determine emergent themes and discrepant data. Results indicated that the marine science camp positively impacted the ocean literacy skills of middle school students through an emphasis on a learner centered instructional approach. The findings of this study may provide a positive social impact by demonstrating active science literacy instructional strategies for teachers which can motivate students to continue studies in science and science related fields.

Learning Progress in Evolution Theory: Climbing a Ladder or Roaming a Landscape?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zabel, Jorg; Gropengiesser, Harald

2011-01-01

The objective of this naturalistic study was to explore, model and visualise the learning progress of 13-year-old students in the domain of evolution theory. Data were collected under actual classroom conditions and with a sample size of 107 learners, which followed a teaching unit on Darwin's theory of natural selection. Before and after the…

New to School and New to Print: Everyday Peer Interaction among Adolescent High School Newcomers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Kendall A.; Bigelow, Martha; Hirsi, Abdiasis

2017-01-01

This article examines everyday classroom peer interaction among emergent multilingual high school students who are new to the United States, new to school, new to English, and new to alphabetic print literacy. Data were collected through observation and video recording within a daily 90-minute, English language and literacy block class over the…

The Ins & Outs of Developing a Field-Based Science Project: Learning by Lassoing Lizards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Catherine E.; Huffling, Lacey D.; Benavides, Aerin

2014-01-01

We describe a field-based lizard project we did with high school students as a part of our summer Herpetological Research Experiences. We describe data collection on lizards captured, identified, and marked as a part of our mark-recapture study. We also describe other lizard projects that are ongoing in the United States and provide resources for…

Exploring Newtonian Mechanics in a Conceptually-Integrated Digital Game: Comparison of Learning and Affective Outcomes for Students in Taiwan and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Douglas B.; Nelson, Brian C.; Chang, Hsin-Yi; Martinez-Garza, Mario; Slack, Kent; D'Angelo, Cynthia M.

2011-01-01

This study investigates the potential of a digital game that overlays popular game-play mechanics with formal physics representations and terminology to support explicit learning and exploration of Newtonian mechanics. The analysis compares test data, survey data, and observational data collected during implementations in Taiwan and the United…

Teaching Indigenous Languages. Selected Papers from the Annual Symposium on Stabilizing Indigenous Languages (4th, Flagstaff, Arizona, May 1-3, 1997).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyhner, Jon, Ed.

The 25 papers collected in this book represent the thoughts and experiences of indigenous language activists from the United States, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand, and are grouped in six categories: tribal and school roles, teaching students, teacher education, curriculum and materials development, language attitudes and promotion, and summary…

Rage from within the Machine: Protest Music, Social Justice, and Educational Reform, a Collective Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giancola, John A., Jr.

2009-01-01

School reform initiatives in the United States have been occurring since the launching of Sputnik by the U.S.S.R. in 1957. These efforts have largely been internal, within school reforms, with little consideration given to external variables such as poverty that affect student achievement. Given the pervasive link between poverty and student…

Morocco and Senegal: Faces of Islam in Africa. Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad, 1999 (Morocco and Senegal).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for International Education (ED), Washington, DC.

These projects were completed by participants in the Fulbright-Hays summer seminar in Morocco and Senegal in 1999. The participants represented various regions of the United States and different grade levels and subject areas. The 13 curriculum projects in the collection are: (1) "Doorway to Morocco: A Student Guide" (Sue Robertson); (2)…

Sailing against the Wind. African Americans and Women in U.S. Education. SUNY Series, Frontiers in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lomotey, Kofi, Ed.

This collection offer a much-needed and critical focus on African Americans and women in the United States. The politics of race, gender, and power influence education at every level as these chapters, written primarily from the perspectives of students, demonstrate. The following are included: (1) "What Does It Mean? Exploring the Myths of…

Drugs and Personality: Personality Correlates and Predictors of Non-Opiate Drug Use. Research Issues 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Gregory A., Ed.; And Others

This collection of abstracts from current research and theoretical studies explores various aspects of the relationship between non-opiate drug use and personality. The literature covers a period from 1968 through 1975 and focuses on tests that were conducted on adolescents and college students from the United States, Canada and Sydney, Australia.…

Measuring: From Paces to Feet. Used Numbers: Real Data in the Classroom. Grades 3-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corwin, Rebecca B.; Russell, Susan Jo

A unit of study that introduces measuring as a way of collecting data is presented. Suitable for students in grades 3 and 4, it provides a foundation for further work in statistics and data analysis. The investigations may extend from one to four class sessions and are grouped into three parts: "Introduction to Measurement"; "Using Standard…

Statistics: The Shape of the Data. Used Numbers: Real Data in the Classroom. Grades 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Susan Jo; Corwin, Rebecca B.

A unit of study that introduces collecting, representing, describing, and interpreting data is presented. Suitable for students in grades 4 through 6, it provides a foundation for further work in statistics and data analysis. The investigations may extend from one to four class sessions and are grouped into three parts: "Introduction to Data…

Characteristics of Education Doctoral Dissertation References: An Inter-Institutional Analysis of Review of Literature Citations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beile, Penny M.; Boote, David N.; Killingsworth, Elizabeth K.

This study had two purposes: to examine the expertise of doctoral students in their use of the scholarly literature and to investigate the use of citation analysis as a tool for collection development. Analysis of 1,842 coded citations gleaned from 30 education dissertations awarded in 2000 from 3 institutions in the United States revealed that…

Gathering Feedback for Teaching: Combining High-Quality Observations with Student Surveys and Achievement Gains. Research Paper. MET Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Thomas J.; Staiger, Douglas O.

2012-01-01

There is a growing consensus that teacher evaluation in the United States is fundamentally broken. Few would argue that a system that tells 98 percent of teachers they are "satisfactory" benefits anyone--including teachers. The nation's collective failure to invest in high-quality professional feedback to teachers is inconsistent with…

Bilingual Education: Politics, Practice, and Research. Ninety-Second Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, Part II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arias, M. Beatriz, Ed.; Casanova, Ursula, Ed.

1993-01-01

This yearbook is a collection of essays on aspects of bilingual education as it affects the Hispanic population of the United States and, more particularly as it affects students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The yearbook includes the following chapters: "Contextualizing Bilingual Education" *Ursula Casanova, M. Beatriz Arias); "Symbols and…

A Bad Bargain: How Teacher Collective Bargaining Affects Students' Employment and Earnings Later in Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovenheim, Michael F.; Willén, Alexander

2016-01-01

Today, more than 60 percent of teachers in the United States work under a union contract. The rights of teachers to unionize and bargain together have expanded dramatically since the late 1950s, when states began passing "duty-to-bargain" (DTB) laws that required school districts to negotiate with teachers unions in good faith. Recently,…

What's So Special about Plants? Inquiry in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lightbody, Mary

2011-01-01

Students come to class with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and the author tries to take advantage of that diversity in the plant unit. Every year the author secures the help of the two or three green thumbs or green-thumb wannabes to help take care of the collection of plants she brings from home in the fall. The author also invites students…

Relationship of TOEFL iBT[R] Scores to Academic Performance: Some Evidence from American Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Yeonsuk; Bridgeman, Brent

2012-01-01

This study examined the relationship between scores on the TOEFL Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT[R]) and academic performance in higher education, defined here in terms of grade point average (GPA). The academic records for 2594 undergraduate and graduate students were collected from 10 universities in the United States. The data consisted of…

Change in Number and Types of Postsecondary Institutions: 2000 to 2014. Data Point. NCES 2017-008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Lisa

2017-01-01

This Data Point uses data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). IPEDS is an annual data collection of all postsecondary institutions in the United States and outlying territories that participate in Title IV federal student financial aid programs. This Data Point presents IPEDS data for U.S. undergraduate institutions in…

Project Talented and Gifted, End of Grant Report. (ESEA Title III) Appendix IV: Part 2 of Two Bindings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1977

Presented is a collection of instructional program units, or mini-workshops, developed by the coordinators and resource personnel working in Project Talented and Gifted and used by students participating in the project at the elementary and secondary level. Sections on each topic usually cover objectives and outlines of each session in the…

Undergraduate Research From Start to Finish in a SEA Semester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavender, K.; Joyce, P.; Graziano, L.; Harris, S.; Jaroslow, G.; Lea, C.; Schell, J.; Witting, J.

2005-12-01

Undergraduates in the 12-week SEA Semester program at the Sea Education Association (SEA) carry out the entire scientific research process, from conception of a testable scientific question to final presentation of results from data they collect on a six-week research cruise. SEA is uniquely positioned to direct undergraduates in oceanography research projects as diverse as the students that propose them, from the curious non-science major to the student wishing to continue their research at their home institution (i.e. for a senior thesis project). Upon arrival at SEA''s campus in Woods Hole, MA, students are challenged to design a research project they will carry out at sea. They are guided by faculty in reading and discussing primary scientific literature, formulating a research question, and describing a specific data collection and analysis plan to be carried out at sea, culminating in a written research proposal that is defended orally. In developing their project students have access not only to the SEA faculty, but also to the many resources of the larger scientific community of Woods Hole. During the six-week sea component students participate in all aspects of data collection, analysis, and interpretation aboard one of SEA's state-of-the-art oceanographic research vessels. Before the end of the program each student presents their final results in both an oral presentation and a written research paper. The SEA Semester model gives students the opportunity to take complete ownership of a research project, and provides access to cutting-edge research capabilities both onshore and at sea. Examples of recent student research projects will be presented. SEA has been simultaneously developing its undergraduate research program and collecting an extensive historical oceanographic database since 1971. Students are encouraged to incorporate these data in long time series analysis projects, and data are also available to outside researchers. Collaborations with research scientists enhance the educational program, and provide opportunities for ship-of-opportunity sampling in remote locations. There are currently more than 7000 alumni of SEA Semester, and SEA alums are associated with all major centers of oceanographic research in the United States.

Family-centered rounds and medical student performance on the NBME pediatrics subject (shelf) examination: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Kimbrough, Tiffany N; Heh, Victor; Wijesooriya, N Romesh; Ryan, Michael S

2016-01-01

Objective To determine the association between family-centered rounds (FCR) and medical student knowledge acquisition as assessed by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) pediatric subject (shelf) exam. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted of third-year medical students who graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine between 2009 and 2014. This timeframe represented the transition from 'traditional' rounds to FCR on the pediatric inpatient unit. Data collected included demographics, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and 2 scores, and NBME subject examinations in pediatrics (PSE), medicine (MSE), and surgery (SSE). Results Eight hundred and sixteen participants were included in the analysis. Student performance on the PSE could not be statistically differentiated from performance on the MSE for any year except 2011 (z-score=-0.17, p=0.02). Average scores on PSE for years 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2014 were significantly higher than for SSE, but not significantly different for all other years. The PSE was highly correlated with USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 examinations (correlation range 0.56-0.77) for all years. Conclusions Our results showed no difference in PSE performance during a time in which our institution transitioned to FCR. These findings should be reassuring for students, attending physicians, and medical educators.

Family-centered rounds and medical student performance on the NBME pediatrics subject (shelf) examination: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Kimbrough, Tiffany N; Heh, Victor; Wijesooriya, N Romesh; Ryan, Michael S

2016-01-01

To determine the association between family-centered rounds (FCR) and medical student knowledge acquisition as assessed by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) pediatric subject (shelf) exam. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of third-year medical students who graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine between 2009 and 2014. This timeframe represented the transition from 'traditional' rounds to FCR on the pediatric inpatient unit. Data collected included demographics, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and 2 scores, and NBME subject examinations in pediatrics (PSE), medicine (MSE), and surgery (SSE). Eight hundred and sixteen participants were included in the analysis. Student performance on the PSE could not be statistically differentiated from performance on the MSE for any year except 2011 (z-score=-0.17, p=0.02). Average scores on PSE for years 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2014 were significantly higher than for SSE, but not significantly different for all other years. The PSE was highly correlated with USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 examinations (correlation range 0.56-0.77) for all years. Our results showed no difference in PSE performance during a time in which our institution transitioned to FCR. These findings should be reassuring for students, attending physicians, and medical educators.

Examining the Effects of Model-Based Inquiry on Concepetual Understanding and Engagement in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baze, Christina L.

Model-Based Inquiry (MBI) is an instructional model which engages students in the scientific practices of modeling, explanation, and argumentation while they work to construct explanations for natural phenomena. This instructional model has not been previously studied at the community college level. The purpose of this study is to better understand how MBI affects the development of community college students' conceptual understanding of evolution and engagement in the practices of science. Mixed-methods were employed to collect quantitative and qualitative data through the multiple-choice Concepts Inventory of Natural Selection, student artifacts, and semi-structured interviews. Participants were enrolled in Biology Concepts, an introductory class for non-science majors, at a small, rural community college in the southwestern United States. Preliminary data shows that conceptual understanding is not adversely affected by the implementation of MBI, and that students gain valuable insights into the practices of science. Specifically, students who participated in the MBI intervention group gained a better understanding of the role of models in explaining and predicting phenomena and experienced feeling ownership of their ideas, an appropriate depth of thinking, more opportunities for collaboration, and coherence and context within the unit. Implications of this study will be of interest to postsecondary science educators and researchers who seek to reform and improve science education.

Investigating Science Discourse in a High School Science Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanson, Lauren Honeycutt

Science classrooms in the United States have become more diverse with respect to the variety of languages spoken by students. This qualitative study used ethnographic methods to investigate the discourse and practices of two ninth grade science classrooms. Approximately 44% of students included in the study were designated as English learners. The present work focused on addressing the following questions: 1) In what ways is science discourse taken up and used by students and their teacher? 2) Are there differences in how science discourse is used by students depending on their English language proficiency? Data collection consisted of interviewing the science teacher and the students, filming whole class and small group discussions during two lesson sequences, and collecting lesson plans, curricular materials, and student work. These data were analyzed qualitatively. Findings indicated that the teacher characterized science discourse along three dimensions: 1) the use of evidence-based explanations; 2) the practice of sharing one's science understandings publically; and 3) the importance of using precise language, including both specialized (i.e., science specific) and non-specialized academic words. Analysis of student participation during in-class activities highlighted how students progressed in each of these science discourse skills. However, this analysis also revealed that English learners were less likely to participate in whole class discussions: Though these students participated in small group discussions, they rarely volunteered to share individual or collective ideas with the class. Overall, students were more adept at utilizing science discourse during class discussions than in written assignments. Analysis of students' written work highlighted difficulties that were not visible during classroom interactions. One potential explanation is the increased amount of scaffolding the teacher provided during class discussions as compared to written assignments. In the implications section, I provide science teachers with recommendations regarding how to promote science discourse in their classrooms. Specifically, teachers should provide students structured opportunities to practice science discourse, require students to use both written and oral modalities in assignments, and offer timely feedback to students regarding their progress in developing their science discourse skills. How this study contributes to the research base on the teaching of science and English learners will also be described.

Extragalactic astronomy: The universe beyond our galaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, K. C.

1976-01-01

This single-topic brochure is for high school physical science teachers to use in introducing students to extragalactic astronomy. The material is presented in three parts: the fundamental content of extragalactic astronomy; modern discoveries delineated in greater detail; and a summary of the earlier discussions within the structure of the Big-Bang Theory of evolution. Each of the three sections is followed by student exercises (activities, laboratory projects, and questions-and-answers). The unit close with a glossary which explains unfamilar terms used in the text and a collection of teacher aids (literature references and audiovisual materials for utilization in further study).

A multidimensional framework of conceptual change for developing chemical equilibrium learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanyoo, Wassana; Suwannoi, Paisan; Treagust, David F.

2018-01-01

The purposes of this research is to investigate the existing chemical equilibrium lessons in Thailand based on the multidimensional framework of conceptual change, to determine how the existing lessons could enhance students' conceptual change. This research was conducted based on qualitative perspective. Document, observations and interviews were used to collect data. To comprehend all students conceptions, diagnostic tests were applied comprised of The Chemical Equilibrium Diagnostic Test (the CEDT) and The Chemical Equilibrium Test for Reveal Conceptual Change (the CETforRCC). In addition, to study students' motivations, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (the MSLQ) and students' task engagement were applied. Following each perspective of conceptual change - ontological, epistemological, and social/affective - the result showed that the existing chemical equilibrium unit did not enhance students' conceptual change, and some issues were found. The problems obstructed students conceptual change should be remedy under the multidimensional framework of conceptual change. Finally, some suggestions were provided to enhance students' conceptual change in chemical equilibrium effectively

ClueConnect: a word array game to promote student comprehension of key terminology in an introductory anatomy and physiology course.

PubMed

Burleson, Kathryn M; Olimpo, Jeffrey T

2016-06-01

The sheer amount of terminology and conceptual knowledge required for anatomy and physiology can be overwhelming for students. Educational games are one approach to reinforce such knowledge. In this activity, students worked collaboratively to review anatomy and physiology concepts by creating arrays of descriptive tiles to define a term. Once guessed, students located the structure or process within diagrams of the body. The game challenged students to think about course vocabulary in novel ways and to use their collective knowledge to get their classmates to guess the terms. Comparison of pretest/posttest/delayed posttest data revealed that students achieved statistically significant learning gains for each unit after playing the game, and a survey of student perceptions demonstrated that the game was helpful for learning vocabulary as well as fun to play. The game is easily adaptable for a variety of lower- and upper-division courses. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Introducing the global carbon cycle to middle school students with a 14C research project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodman Larson, L.; Phillips, C. L.; LaFranchi, B. W.

2012-12-01

Global Climate Change (GCC) is currently not part of the California Science Standards for 7th grade. Required course elements, however, such as the carbon cycle, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration could be linked to global climate change. Here we present a lesson plan developed in collaboration with scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, to involve 7th grade students in monitoring of fossil fuel emissions in the Richmond/San Pablo area of California. -The lesson plan is a Greenhouse Gas/Global Climate Change Unit, with an embedded research project in which students will collect plant samples from various locals for analysis of 14C, to determine if there is a correlation between location and how much CO2 is coming from fossil fuel combustion. Main learning objectives are for students to: 1) understand how fossil fuel emissions impact the global carbon cycle, 2) understand how scientists estimate fossil CO2 emissions, and 3) engage in hypothesis development and testing. This project also engages students in active science learning and helps to develop responsibility, two key factors for adolescentsWe expect to see a correlation between proximity to freeways and levels of fossil fuel emissions. This unit will introduce important GCC concepts to students at a younger age, and increase their knowledge about fossil fuel emissions in their local environment, as well as the regional and global impacts of fossil emissions.

Racial discrimination experienced by aboriginal university students in Canada.

PubMed

Currie, Cheryl L; Wild, T Cameron; Schopflocher, Donald P; Laing, Lory; Veugelers, Paul

2012-10-01

Racial discrimination is an established life course social determinant of health associated with adverse psychological outcomes among minority populations. However, little is known about the extent to which Aboriginal people in Canada may experience racial discrimination and consequent adverse psychological effects. This study sought to measure the extent to which Aboriginal university students living in an urban area of Canada experienced racism, to triangulate this evidence with US data and qualitative findings, and to examine the impact of these experiences on mental health. Data for this mixed method study were collected via in-person surveys with a volunteer sample of Aboriginal university students (n = 60) living in a mid-sized city in central Canada in 2008-2009. Results indicate Aboriginal university students experienced more frequent racism across a greater number of life situations than African- and Latino-American adults in the United States. Student reactions to these experiences were symptomatic of what has been termed racial battle fatigue in the United States. Students who considered themselves traditional or cultural Aboriginal persons were significantly more likely to experience discrimination. Results underline the need for policies aimed at reducing racism directed at Aboriginal people in urban areas and the growth of services to help Aboriginal people cope with these experiences. Results highlight the need for further research to determine the potential pathogenic consequences of racial discrimination for Aboriginal people in Canada.

Caring in Lourdes: An innovation in students' clinical placement.

PubMed

Baldacchino, Donia

The study unit Spirituality for Health Carers was part of the BSc(Hons) nursing/midwifery programme which aimed at providing an innovative clinical placement for students. This placement promoted the delivery of spiritual care to clients in Lourdes. This paper discusses the experiential learning of students based on Gibbs (1988) Framework of Reflection. The scarce research demonstrates that caring for clients in Lourdes enabled students to develop meaningful relationships due to increased carer to clients' ratio, more time available and the presence of role models who were dedicated and compassionate with clients. Qualitative data were collected by a reflective diary, a written reflective assignment and a focus group discussion. The four themes which emerged from the data are team building, holistic care, trustful nurse-client relationship and strengthening personal spirituality. Recommendations were proposed to enhance the delivery of spiritual care and holistic care by further exposure of students to care for the pilgrims in Lourdes.

Effect of Dispositional Traits on Pharmacy Students’ Attitude Toward Cheating

PubMed Central

Saulsbury, Marilyn D.; Brown,, Ulysses J.; Heyliger, Simone O.

2011-01-01

Objective To explore the relation between dispositional traits and pharmacy students’ attitudes toward cheating in a university setting. Methods A questionnaire was administered primarily to pharmacy students at a comprehensive university in the southeastern United States to assess self-esteem, self-efficacy, idealism, relativism, student attitudes toward cheating, tolerance for peer cheating, detachment from the university, Machiavellian behavior, and demographic information. Results Gender, degree of idealism, relativism, and Machiavellian traits were found to influence student attitudes toward cheating, while age, grade-point average (GPA), race, income, and marital status did not. Conclusions Considered collectively, these data support the study model prediction that the major determinants of student attitudes toward cheating are based on the degree of idealism and relativism evident in the students’ dispositional trait. Idealism was found to be inversely related to the likelihood of a student engaging in cheating or tolerating peer cheating. PMID:21769145

Mental health literacy, stigma, and help-seeking behaviors among male college students.

PubMed

Rafal, Gregor; Gatto, Amy; DeBate, Rita

2018-01-01

Mental health literacy (MHL) is low in college-aged men potentially resulting in impaired mental wellbeing. This study assessed MHL, psychosocial determinants, and help-seeking behaviors among male university students. Male undergraduate and graduate students were surveyed in Spring 2017 (n = 1,242) at a large southeastern university in the United States. Preexisting validated scales for MHL, psychosocial determinants, and help-seeking intention were used in measurement and demographic variables were collected. T-tests and one-way ANOVA were performed to measure differences between groups. Participants showed low scores for all constructs with statistically significant differences between undergraduate and graduate students, as well as between races and major classifications. Undergraduate men had moderate MHL and low intentions to seek professional care. Interventions focusing on increasing mental health knowledge and improving beliefs can improve MHL among male college students. Further, interventions should be tailored for racial groups and major classifications.

AIDS risk among students attending Seventh-day Adventist school, in North America.

PubMed

Hopkins, G L; Hopp, J W; Marshak, H P; Neish, C; Rhoads, G

1998-04-01

In 1995, a survey was conducted among students attending 69 Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) high schools within the United States and Canada. The survey assessed the extent that these students practiced sexual and drug-use behaviors which place them at risk for contracting or transmitting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A total of 1,748 respondents enrolled in grades 9 through 12 completed questionnaires similar to the instrument used in the 1993 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Data were collected and compared to results from the 1993 YRBS. Students who attended SDA parochial schools reported lower rates of sexual intercourse compared to YRBS school counterparts (16.3% vs. 53.1%) and lower rates of all substances measured. Furthermore, respondents were more likely to engage in substance use and sexual intercourse if they had at least one parent who used tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana, as reported by the students.

Effects of Jigsaw Cooperative Learning and Animation Techniques on Students' Understanding of Chemical Bonding and Their Conceptions of the Particulate Nature of Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karacop, Ataman; Doymus, Kemal

2013-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of jigsaw cooperative learning and computer animation techniques on academic achievements of first year university students attending classes in which the unit of chemical bonding is taught within the general chemistry course and these students' learning of the particulate nature of matter of this unit. The sample of this study consisted of 115 first-year science education students who attended the classes in which the unit of chemical bonding was taught in a university faculty of education during the 2009-2010 academic year. The data collection instruments used were the Test of Scientific Reasoning, the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations, the Chemical Bonding Academic Achievement Test, and the Particulate Nature of Matter Test in Chemical Bonding (CbPNMT). The study was carried out in three different groups. One of the groups was randomly assigned to the jigsaw group, the second was assigned to the animation group (AG), and the third was assigned to the control group, in which the traditional teaching method was applied. The data obtained with the instruments were evaluated using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and MANCOVA. The results indicate that the teaching of chemical bonding via the animation and jigsaw techniques was more effective than the traditional teaching method in increasing academic achievement. In addition, according to findings from the CbPNMT, the students from the AG were more successful in terms of correct understanding of the particulate nature of matter.

Australian nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards pressure injury prevention: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Usher, Kim; Woods, Cindy; Brown, Janie; Power, Tamara; Lea, Jackie; Hutchinson, Marie; Mather, Carey; Miller, Andrea; Saunders, Annette; Mills, Jane; Zhao, Lin; Yates, Karen; Bodak, Marie; Southern, Joanne; Jackson, Debra

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess student nurses' knowledge of and attitudes towards pressure injury prevention evidence-based guidelines. Pressure injuries are a substantial problem in many healthcare settings causing major harm to patients, and generating major economic costs for health service providers. Nurses have a crucial role in the prevention of pressure injuries across all health care settings. A multi-centered, cross-sectional study was conducted using a paper-based questionnaire with undergraduate nursing students enrolled in seven universities with campuses across five Australian states (Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania). Data were collected from nursing students using two validated instruments (Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Instrument and Attitude Toward Pressure Ulcer Prevention Instrument), to measure students' pressure injury prevention knowledge and attitudes. Students reported relatively low pressure injury prevention knowledge scores (51%), and high attitude scores (78%). Critical issues in this study were nursing students' lack of knowledge about preventative strategies to reduce the amount and duration of pressure/shear, and lower confidence in their capability to prevent pressure injury. Level of education and exposure to working in a greater number of different clinical units were significantly related to pressure injury prevention knowledge and attitude scores. The study findings highlight the need to implement a comprehensive approach to increasing Australian nursing students' pressure injury prevention and management knowledge, as well as ensuring that these students have adequate experiences in clinical units, with a high focus on pressure injury prevention to raise their personal capability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues in dental school environments: dental student leaders' perceptions.

PubMed

Anderson, Joan I; Patterson, April N; Temple, Henry J; Inglehart, Marita Rohr

2009-01-01

The objectives of the study reported in this article were to assess dental student leaders' perceptions of educational efforts concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) topics and the cultural climate concerning LGBT issues in dental schools in the United States and Canada. In addition, the perceptions of student leaders who self-identified as belonging to the LGBT community and of students with a heterosexual orientation were compared. Data were collected from 113 dental student leaders from twenty-seven dental schools in the United States and three in Canada. Fifty student leaders were females, and sixty-two were males. Only 13.3 percent of the respondents agreed that their dental education prepared them well to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds. The more the student leaders believed that their university has an honest interest in diversity, the better they felt prepared by their dental school program to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds (r=.327; p<.001). The better they felt prepared, the more they perceived the clinic environment as sensitive and affirming for patients with different sexual orientations (r=.464; p<.001). The more they reported that dental schools' administrations create a positive environment for students with LGBT orientations, the more they agreed that persons can feel comfortable regardless of their sexual orientation (r=.585; p<.001). In conclusion, the findings indicate that dental school administrators play an important role in ensuring that future care providers are well prepared to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds and that staff, faculty, students, and patients from these backgrounds are not discriminated against.

Identification of microorganisms on mobile phones of intensive care unit health care workers and medical students in the tertiary hospital.

PubMed

Kotris, Ivan; Drenjančević, Domagoj; Talapko, Jasminka; Bukovski, Suzana

2017-02-01

Aim To identify and investigate a difference between microorganisms present on intensive care unit (ICU) health care workers' (HCW, doctors, nurses or medical technicians) and medical students' mobile phones as well as to investigate a difference between the frequency and the way of cleaning mobile phones. Methods Fifty swabs were collected from HCWs who work in the ICU (University Hospital Centre Osijek) and 60 swabs from medical students (School of Medicine, University of Osijek). Microorganisms were identified according to standard microbiological methods and biochemical tests to the genus/species level. Results Out of 110 processed mobile phones, mobile phones microorganisms were not detected on 25 (22.7%), 15 (25%) students' and 10 (20%) HCW's mobile phones. No statistically significant difference was found between the number of isolated bacteria between the HCW' and students' mobile phones (p>0.05). Statistically significant difference was found between both HCW and students and frequency of cleaning their mobile phones (p<0.001). A significant difference was also obtained with the way of cleaning mobile phones between HCWs and students (p<0.001). Conclusion The most common isolated microorganisms in both groups were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and Staphylococcus aureus. Most HCWs cleaned their mobile phones at least once a week, 35 (52.0%), and most medical students several times per year, 20 (33.3%). HCW clean their mobile phones with alcohol disinfectant in 26 (40.0%) and medical students with dry cloth in 20 (33.3%) cases. Copyright© by the Medical Assotiation of Zenica-Doboj Canton.

Current knowledge of scoliosis in physiotherapy students trained in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Black, D A Jason; Pilcher, Christine; Drake, Shawn; Maude, Erika; Glynn, David

2017-01-01

It has been highlighted in both Poland and the United States of America (USA) that knowledge of idiopathic scoliosis (IS) among physiotherapy students is limited with respect to the 2011 International Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT) guidelines. Early detection of scoliosis and correct initial management is essential in effective care, and thus physiotherapists should be aware of the basic criteria for diagnosis and indications for treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the basic knowledge of IS in physiotherapy students trained in the United Kingdom (UK). A previously designed and tested 10-question survey, including knowledge of the 2011 SOSORT guidelines, was transcribed onto an online-survey platform. Questions were designed to analyse knowledge of definition, cause, development, prevalence, diagnosis, treatment and bracing of scoliosis. All UK universities offering physiotherapy degrees were invited to participate, with the programme lead of each institution asked to distribute the questionnaire to all penultimate and final year physiotherapy students (bachelor's and master's degrees). The final number of students who received the study invitation is unknown. The survey link closed after 8 weeks of data collection. Two hundred and six students, split over 12 institutions, successfully completed the questionnaire. Analysis showed that 79% of students recognised when IS is likely to develop, yet only 52% recognised that IS's aetiology is unknown. Eighty-eight percent of students incorrectly defined IS as a 2-dimensional deformity, with only 24% successfully recognising the prevalence of IS within the scoliosis population. Just 12% knew the criteria for diagnosis; however, 93% were unable to recognise the appropriate treatment approach through therapeutic exercise. Finally, 54% of students managed to identify correctly when bracing is recommended for IS. In comparison to previous studies within the USA, students in the UK performed worse in relation to all questions except treatment (7% answered correctly vs 3% in the American study). With only 7% of students able to answer > 50% of the survey questions correctly, there is a clear lack of knowledge of appropriate IS diagnosis and care which could directly impact the information these patients are given within the first contact primary care in the UK.

A qualitative study on physicians' perceptions of specialty characteristics.

PubMed

Park, Kwi Hwa; Jun, Soo-Koung; Park, Ie Byung

2016-09-01

There has been limited research on physicians' perceptions of the specialty characteristics that are needed to sustain a successful career in medical specialties in Korea. Medical Specialty Preference Inventory in the United States or SCI59 (specialty choice inventory) in the United Kingdom are implemented to help medical students plan their careers. The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of the major specialties in Korea. Twelve physicians from different specialties participated in an exploratory study consisting of qualitative interviews about the personal ability and emotional characteristics and job attributes of each specialty. The collected data were analysed with content analysis methods. Twelve codes were extracted for ability & skill attributes, 23 codes for emotion & attitude attributes, and 12 codes for job attributes. Each specialty shows a different profile in terms of its characteristic attributes. The findings have implications for the design of career planning programs for medical students.

Social distance, perceived drinking by peers, and alcohol use by college students.

PubMed

Yanovitzky, Itzhak; Stewart, Lea P; Lederman, Linda C

2006-01-01

Many colleges in the United States are employing social norms marketing campaigns with the goal of reducing college students' alcohol use by correcting misperceptions about their peers' alcohol use. Although the typical message used in these campaigns describes the quantity and frequency of alcohol use by the average student on campus, many students may find such a vague comparison to others to be socially irrelevant. This study compares the relative weight of perceptions about alcohol use by distant versus proximate peers in the prediction of college students' personal drinking behavior. The results of analyzing data collected from a sample of college students at a large public northeastern university (N=276) show that, as hypothesized, perceived alcohol use by proximate peers (best friends and friends) was a stronger predictor of students' personal alcohol use than perceived alcohol use by more distant peers (such as students in general), controlling for other strong predictors of alcohol use by college students (age, gender, race, off-campus residency, and sensation-seeking tendencies). The implications of these findings for the design of more effective social norms messages are discussed.

Seatbelt use, attitudes, and changes in legislation: an international study.

PubMed

Steptoe, Andrew; Wardle, Jane; Fuller, Ray; Davidsdottir, Sigurlina; Davou, Bettina; Justo, Joao

2002-11-01

The use of seat belts is among the most effective methods of reducing injury in motor vehicle crashes. We examined trends in seat belt use by university students from 13 European countries between 1990 and 2000, in relation to changes in legislation, attitudes, and hazardous driver behaviors. Data were collected via an anonymous standardized questionnaire from university students in Belgium, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. There were 10,576 respondents in 1990, and 10,294 in 2000. Data were also collected from 1672 students in the United States in 2000. Analyses were performed in early 2002. Reported seat belt use increased from 63% to 73% in male students, and from 66% to 77% in female students over the decade. There were marked increases in seat belt use in countries with changes in legislation or enforcement from 1990 to 2000, with 24% to 64% more respondents reporting seat belt use in 2000. The prevalence of use and noted changes during this period correlated with findings from national surveys (r= 0.91). Attitudes to seat belt use were associated with behavior both within and between countries. Nonuse of seat belts was positively related to alcohol-impaired driving and failure to obey speed limits. Legislation has a substantial impact on the use of vehicle seat belts, but additional gains require efforts to change attitudes within the university student population.

Creating New Educational Communities. Ninety-fourth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Part I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oakes, Jeannie, Ed.; Quartz, Karen Hunter, Ed.

1995-01-01

The work reported on in this yearbook collection represent the work of educators committed to the concept that genuine reform takes place in settings where students and teachers work together to create new educational communities. Reports on ongoing projects in several parts of the United States are included in the following chapters: (1)…

Process Features in Writing: Internal Structure and Incremental Value over Product Features. Research Report. ETS RR-15-27

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Mo; Deane, Paul

2015-01-01

In educational measurement contexts, essays have been evaluated and formative feedback has been given based on the end product. In this study, we used a large sample collected from middle school students in the United States to investigate the factor structure of the writing process features gathered from keystroke logs and the association of that…

Life, Labor, and, Song in New England during the Early Republic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, John W., Ed.; Scott, John A., Ed.

1998-01-01

Singing the tunes in this collection will help students understand many of the realities of life during the early years of the United States. From hearth and home to the perils of the sea, and from factory life to Presidential elections, this journal offers a selection of 19 songs to introduce the life and labor of New England people during the…

“Nothing Better or Worse than Being Black, Gay, and in the Band”: A Qualitative Examination of Gay Undergraduates Participating in Historically Black College or University Marching Bands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Bruce Allen

2013-01-01

This collective case study examined the experiences of four African American gay band students attending historically Black colleges or universities (HCBUs) in the southern United States. This study explored influences that shaped the participants' identities as they negotiated numerous complex sociocultural discourses pervasive and challenging to…

Individual and Group Meaning-Making in an Urban Third Grade Classroom: Red Fog, Cold Cans, and Seeping Vapor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southerland, Sherry; Kittleson, Julie; Settlage, John; Lanier, Kimberly

2005-01-01

We examined third graders' understandings of condensation using an expanded notion of the Emergent Perspective, a reflexive consideration of individual and group meaning-making situated in the culture of the classroom. Data were collected from two small groups of students in an inquiry-based, urban classroom during a unit on the water cycle.…

JUSTEC 2000: Japan-United States Teacher Education Consortium International Seminar on Teacher Education (Tokyo, Japan, July 12-15, 2000). Proposals for the Renewal of Teacher Education: Japanese and American Perspectives. Abstract.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2000

This collection of abstracts and papers includes: "Classroom Lesson Planning Using Constructivist Principles" (Richard K. Gordon, Stephen Lee, and Joel Colbert); "Students' Perception of Experiential Learning and Assessment of Own Learning at the Physically Handicapped School" (Shigeru Shimizu; Minoru Umezawa, and Yumiko Ono);…

The Impact of Data-Driven Decision Making on Educational Practice in Louisiana Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James-Maxie, Dana

2012-01-01

Using data to improve educational practice in schools has become a popular reform strategy that has grown as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Districts and schools across the United States are under a great deal of pressure to collect and analyze data in hopes of identifying student weaknesses to implement corrective action plans…

A Cross-Cultural Study of Teachers' Beliefs and Strategies on Classroom Behavior Management in Urban American and Korean School Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, Sunwoo; Koh, Myung-Sook

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers' beliefs on classroom behavior management strategies for students in urban public high schools between teachers in the United States and the Republic of Korea. This study incorporates data collected from teacher self-reported survey questionnaire, which is the Attitudes and Beliefs on Classroom…

A STUDY OF THE MATURE WOMEN STUDENTS ATTENDING DAY CLASSES AT RIVERSIDE CITY COLLEGE DURING THE SPRING SEMESTER, 1964.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SENSOR, PHYLLIS

THIS STUDY DEFINED A MATURE WOMAN AS BEING 25 YEARS OLD OR OLDER OR MARRIED. DATA WERE COLLECTED ON 225 MATURE WOMEN ATTENDING RIVERSIDE CITY COLLEGE DURING THE 1964 SPRING SEMESTER, INCLUDING DATE OF BIRTH, MARITAL STATUS, ACADEMIC SUCCESS, TEST SCORES, GRADE POINT AVERAGE, UNITS OF STUDY, MAJOR, AND SCHOOLS OF TRANSFER. A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS SENT…

Bringing Back Sweet (and Not so Sweet) Memories: The Cultural Politics of Memory, Hip-Hop, and Generational Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Marc Lamont

2009-01-01

This article examines the salience of collective "memory" and "remembering" among a group of students in Hip-Hop Lit, a hip-hop centered English literature course that I co-taught at "Howard High School," an urban high school in the Northeastern United States. Specifically, this article examines the memory work that occurred within Hip-Hop Lit in…

Taking a Population Census, Episode IV. Resource Material Development: Population Dynamics in Eighth Grade American History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massialas, Byron G.; And Others

This is the fourth unit in a series that introduces population concepts into the eighth grade American history curriculum. (See SO 013 782 for an overview of the guide.) In Episode IV, the history topic is union under the Constitution. Objectives are to (1) help the student to examine the need for collecting information on the population during…

A Comparison of the Use of Strategic Thinking Skills of Aspiring School Leaders in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Shanghai, and the United States: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pisapia, John; Pang, Nicholas Sun-Keung; Hee, Tie Fatt; Lin, Ying; Morris, John D.

2009-01-01

Cognition is the way we use mental skills to acquire knowledge, manipulate ideas, and process new information and beliefs. The Strategic Thinking Questionnaire (STQ), which measures three such skills--systems thinking-reframing-reflection, was used to collect data from students preparing for school leadership roles at four universities in the…

The Effects of Implementing a Computer-Based Reading Support Program on the Reading Achievement of Sixth Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falke, Tricia Rae

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a computer-based reading intervention on the reading achievement of sixth grade students in one elementary school in a suburban school district located in the Midwest region of the United States. Data were collected through two district mandated reading assessments and a computer-based…

How many schools adopt interviews during the student admission process across the health professions in the United States of America?

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Health profession schools use interviews during the admissions process to identify certain non-cognitive skills that are needed for success in diverse, inter-professional settings. This study aimed to assess the use of interviews during the student admissions process across health disciplines at schools in the United States of America in 2014. The type and frequency of non-cognitive skills assessed were also evaluated. Descriptive methods were used to analyze a sample of interview rubrics collected as part of a national survey on admissions in the health professions, which surveyed 228 schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and public health. Of the 228 schools, 130 used interviews. The most desirable non-cognitive skills from 34 schools were identified as follows: communication skills (30), motivation (22), readiness for the profession (17), service (12), and problem-solving (12). Ten schools reported using the multiple mini-interview format, which may indicate potential for expanding this practice. Disparities in the use of interviewing across health professions should be verified to help schools adopt interviews during student admissions processes. PMID:26924541

How many schools adopt interviews during the student admission process across the health professions in the United States of America?

PubMed

Glazer, Greer; Startsman, Laura F; Bankston, Karen; Michaels, Julia; Danek, Jennifer C; Fair, Malika

2016-01-01

Health profession schools use interviews during the admissions process to identify certain non-cognitive skills that are needed for success in diverse, inter-professional settings. This study aimed to assess the use of interviews during the student admissions process across health disciplines at schools in the United States of America in 2014. The type and frequency of non-cognitive skills assessed were also evaluated. Descriptive methods were used to analyze a sample of interview rubrics collected as part of a national survey on admissions in the health professions, which surveyed 228 schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and public health. Of the 228 schools, 130 used interviews. The most desirable non-cognitive skills from 34 schools were identified as follows: communication skills (30), motivation (22), readiness for the profession (17), service (12), and problem-solving (12). Ten schools reported using the multiple mini-interview format, which may indicate potential for expanding this practice. Disparities in the use of interviewing across health professions should be verified to help schools adopt interviews during student admissions processes.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Project ReCharge: A STEM Based Energy Efficiency Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozarski Connolly, Catherine J.

This research evaluates the effectiveness of Project ReCharge, an energy efficiency, STEM curriculum designed for middle and high school students. The project includes a five-unit curriculum, and monthly professional development spanning a year. The project was implemented in ten schools over three years. Four areas were explored in the study including (1) changes to student content knowledge, (2) changes to student attitudes towards STEM subjects and careers, (3) changes to teacher self-efficacy and beliefs, and (4) changes to teacher content knowledge. A content test for teachers and students, the STEM Semantics Survey, and STEBI-A were used to collect data on 4123 students and 47 teachers. Data were collected in a quasi-experimental design utilizing parametric and nonparametric techniques. Analyses suggest student content knowledge increased significantly from pretest to posttest for all years (Pretest: M = 11.38, SD = 4.97, Posttest: M = 16.67, SD = 5.83, t = 45.05, p < 0.001, d = 0.98). Increases to student attitudes in STEM varied by year and grade, but overall increases were found in science (N = 2362, z = -2.618, p = 0.030, eta 2 = 0.002), and math attitudes (N = 2348, z = -2.280, p = 0.023, eta2 = 0.002). High school students tended to show more increased attitudes in more subject areas than middle school students. No changes to teacher self-efficacy and beliefs were found, and increases to teacher content knowledge only occurred in the third year (N = 22, x2 = 5.158; p = 0.076, eta2 = 0.319).

Case studies in teaching evolution: The intersection of dilemmas in practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Rachel

Despite recent science education reform documents citing evolution as a core concept to be taught in grades K-12, research shows problems with how it is currently taught. Evolution is often avoided, teachers minimize its importance within biology, infuse misconceptions, and/or interject non-scientific ideologies into lessons. My research focused on how teachers in two geographically and culturally distinct school districts in the southwestern U.S. negotiate dilemmas during an evolution unit. One school district was rural and had a large population of Mormon students, while the other district was urban, with a large majority Mexican/Mexican-American students. Using a case study approach, I observed three biology teachers during their evolution lessons, interviewed them throughout the unit, co-planned lessons with them, and collected artifacts from this unit, including anonymous student work. I also included data from four genetics lessons for each teacher to determine if the issues that arose during the evolution unit were a result of the general practice of the teacher, or if they were unique to evolution. Findings showed teachers' backgrounds and comfort levels with evolution, in addition to their perceptions of community context, affected how they negotiated pedagogical, conceptual, political, and cultural dilemmas. This study's findings will inform in-service teachers' future practice and professional development tools to aid with their teaching---this may include methods to negotiate some of the political (e.g. state standards) or cultural (e.g. religious resistance) issues inherent to teaching evolution.

Professional values and career choice of nursing students.

PubMed

Alkaya, Sultan Ayaz; Yaman, Şengül; Simones, Joyce

2018-03-01

Professional values are abstract and general behavioral principles that provide basic standards to judge aims and actions, and these principles are formed by strong emotional loyalty of members of the profession. Research was conducted to compare the career choice and professional values of nursing students at two universities in the upper Midwest of the United States and in the middle of Turkey. A descriptive and comparative design was used. The participants of the study were comprised nursing students from a university in the upper Midwest of United States and a university in the middle of Turkey. The sample consisted of 728 students in all grades. Data were collected by a questionnaire, The Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised and Vocational Choices in Entering Nursing Scale. Number, percentage distribution, mean, standard deviation, t test, and one-way variance analysis were used in the analysis of data. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Commission. Informed consent was received from the students. The students' mean age for American students was 24.3 ± 5.6 years, while the mean age for Turkish students was 19.8 ± 1.7 years. Mean score of American students on The Vocational Congruency (a subgroup of the Vocational Choices in Entering Nursing Scale) was 38.5 ± 5.9 and Turkish students was 29.6 ± 8.9 (p < 0.05). Mean score of American students on The Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised was 109.2 ± 12.3 and that of Turkish students was 101.6 ± 17.0. This study concluded that the majority of nursing students had high professional values, and when students' scores were compared, American students had higher professional values, and in career choice, they considered primarily fitness of the profession to themselves and their goals, while Turkish students primarily thought of their living conditions.

Implementing online quantitative support modules in an intermediate-level course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daly, J.

2011-12-01

While instructors typically anticipate that students in introductory geology courses enter a class with a wide range of quantitative ability, we often overlook the fact that this may also be true in upper-level courses. Some students are drawn to the subject and experience success in early courses with an emphasis on descriptive geology, then experience frustration and disappointment in mid- and upper-level courses that are more quantitative. To bolster student confidence in quantitative skills and enhance their performance in an upper-level course, I implemented several modules from The Math You Need (TMYN) online resource with a 200-level geomorphology class. Student facility with basic quantitative skills (rearranging equations, manipulating units, and graphing) was assessed with an online pre- and post-test. During the semester, modules were assigned to complement existing course activities (for example, the module on manipulating units was assigned prior to a lab on measurement of channel area and water velocity, then calculation of discharge). The implementation was designed to be a concise review of relevant skills for students with higher confidence in their quantitative abilities, and to provide a self-paced opportunity for students with less quantitative facility to build skills. This course already includes a strong emphasis on quantitative data collection, analysis, and presentation; in the past, student performance in the course has been strongly influenced by their individual quantitative ability. I anticipate that giving students the opportunity to improve mastery of fundamental quantitative skills will improve their performance on higher-stakes assignments and exams, and will enhance their sense of accomplishment in the course.

An international model for staffing maternal and child health research: the use of undergraduate students.

PubMed

Wallis, Anne Baber; Chereches, Răzvan; Oprescu, Florin; Brînzaniuc, Alexandra; Dungy, Claibourne I

2007-09-01

Constrained resources in Central and Eastern Europe limit the capacity of local and national health ministries to study breastfeeding practices or implement evidence-based breastfeeding support programs. This paper describes an innovative model for studying an important maternal and child health (MCH) problem by training undergraduate students to strengthen local capacity for research. An international team of researchers from Romania and the United States designed a study conducted at Babeş-Bolyai University and two academic maternity hospitals in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The objectives were to (1) spark interest in breastfeeding research among undergraduates, (2) develop empirical knowledge about breastfeeding, and (3) train a team of undergraduate students to collect, manage, and enter study data. A team of carefully selected undergraduate students was trained in survey design, data collection, data entry, and interviewing skills. Internet technology was used to facilitate communication and to transfer data. The project resulted in a trained cadre of undergraduate students able to conduct survey research on breastfeeding practices with skills ranging from questionnaire design and implementation to descriptive data analysis. Empirical data obtained from the study will be used for student projects, to stimulate new breastfeeding support policies and programs, and to apply for research grants. Undergraduate students in developing countries in Central and Eastern Europe are a valuable, untapped resource for expanding MCH capacity. We recommend adoption of this cost-effective approach to foster high-quality MCH research.

Service-Learning General Chemistry: Lead Paint Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kesner, Laya; Eyring, Edward M.

1999-07-01

Houses painted with lead-based paints are ubiquitous in the United States because the houses and the paint have not worn out two decades after federal regulations prohibited inclusion of lead in paint. Remodeling older homes thus poses a health threat for infants and small children living in those homes. In a service-learning general chemistry class, students disseminate information about this health threat in an older neighborhood. At some of the homes they collect paint samples that they analyze for lead both qualitatively and quantitatively. This service-learning experience generates enthusiasm for general chemistry through the process of working on a "real" problem. Sample collection familiarizes the students with the concept of "representative" sampling. The sample preparation for atomic absorption spectroscopic (AAS) analysis enhances their laboratory skills. The focus of this paper is on the mechanics of integrating this particular service project into the first-term of the normal general chemistry course.

Space based astronomy: Teacher's guide with activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenberg, Carla B. (Editor); Weiler, Edward; Morrow, Cherilyn; Bacon, Pamela M.; Thorne, Muriel; Blanchard, Paul A.; Howard, Sethane; Pengra, Patricia R.; Brown, Deborah A.; Winrich, Ralph

1994-01-01

This curriculum guide uses hands-on activities to help students and teachers understand the significance of space-based astronomy - astronomical observations made from outer space. The guide contains few of the traditional activities found in many astronomy guides such as constellation studies, lunar phases, and planetary orbits. Instead, it tells the story of why it is important to observe celestial objects from outer space and how to study the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The guide begins with a survey of astronomy related NASA spacecraft. This is followed by a collection of activities in four units: (1) the atmospheric filter; (2) the electromagnetic spectrum; (3) collecting electromagnetic radiation; and (4) down to Earth. A curriculum index identifies the curriculum areas each activity addresses. The guide concludes with a glossary, reference list, a NASA Resources list, and an evaluation card. It is designed for students in grades 5 through 8.

Culturally diverse students enrolled in nursing: barriers influencing success.

PubMed

Merrill, E B

1998-01-01

Within the United States, the dominant culture is largely made up of Anglo Saxons whose values include the work ethic, thrift, success, independence, initiative, respect for others, privacy, cleanliness, youthfulness, attractive appearance, and a focus on the future (Spradley & Allender, 1996). For the last ten or more years, the number of international students enrolled in programs in health science within the U.S., including nursing, has increased more than 10% (Zikopoulos, 1990). Almost no data have been collected by schools of nursing on the difficulties they encounter while working with international students adjusting to and receiving an education in the U.S. (Colling & Liu, 1995). There are often many barriers that may influence culturally diverse and international students' success in nursing. These barriers may be environmental and located within the school of nursing or the college/university, or personal and student centered. The presence of appropriate support services on the college campus as well as within schools of nursing could enhance the success of culturally diverse students. Nursing and college/university faculty must become more aware of cultural difference in students and must use various strategies to retain these students.

Identification of multiple intelligences for high school students in theoretical and applied science courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiseman, D. Kim

Historically educators in the United States have used the Stanford-Binet intelligence test to measure a students' ability in logical/mathematical and linguistic domains. This measurement is being used by a society that has evolved from agrarian and industrial-based economies to what is presently labeled a technological society. As society has changed so have the educational needs of the students who will live in this technological society. This study assessed the multiple intelligences of high school students enrolled in theoretical and applied science (physics and applied physics) courses. Studies have verified that performance and outcomes of students enrolled in these courses are similar in standardized testing but instructional methodology and processes are dissimilar. Analysis of multiple intelligence profiles collected from this study found significant differences in logical/mathematical, bodily/kinesthetic and intrapersonal multiple intelligences of students in theoretical science courses compared to students in applied science courses. Those differences clearly illustrate why it is imperative for educators to expand the definition of intelligence for students entering the new millennium.

The Biology and Space Exploration Video Series

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

William, Jacqueline M.; Murthy, Gita; Rapa, Steve; Hargens, Alan R.

1995-01-01

The Biology and Space Exploration video series illustrates NASA's commitment to increasing the public awareness and understanding of life sciences in space. The video series collection, which was initiated by Dr. Joan Vernikos at NASA headquarters and Dr. Alan Hargens at NASA Ames Research Center, will be distributed to universities and other institutions around the United States. The video series parallels the "Biology and Space Exploration" course taught by NASA Ames scientists at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California. In the past, students have shown considerable enthusiasm for this course and have gained a much better appreciation and understanding of space life sciences and exploration. However, due to the unique nature of the topics and the scarcity of available educational materials, most students in other universities around the country are unable to benefit from this educational experience. Therefore, with the assistance of Ames experts, we are producing a video series on selected aspects of life sciences in space to expose undergraduate students to the effects of gravity on living systems. Additionally, the video series collection contains space flight footage, graphics, charts, pictures, and interviews to make the materials interesting and intelligible to viewers.

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.

University of California, Irvine, Student Affirmative Action Five-Year Plan and Planning Process, 1984-1988. Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galligani, Dennis J.

This second volume of the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Student Affirmative Action (SAA) Five-Year Plan contains the complete student affirmative action plans as submitted by 33 academic and administrative units at UCI. The volume is organized by type of unit: academic units, academic retention units, outreach units, and student life…

Graduation Rates for Selected Cohorts, 2005-10; and Student Financial Aid in Postsecondary Institutions, Academic Year 2012-13. First Look (Provisional Data). NCES 2014-105

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ginder, Scott A.; Kelly-Reid, Janice E.; Mann, Farrah B.

2014-01-01

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) collects institution-level data from postsecondary institutions in the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia) and other U.S. jurisdictions (see appendix A for a list of other U.S. jurisdictions). This First Look presents findings from the provisional data of the IPEDS…

Applying an Activity Theory Lens to Designing Instruction for Learning about the Structure, Behavior, and Function of a Honeybee System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danish, Joshua A.

2014-01-01

This article reports on a study in which activity theory was used to design, implement, and analyze a 10-week curriculum unit about how honeybees collect nectar with a particular focus on complex systems concepts. Students (n = 42) in a multi-year kindergarten and 1st-grade classroom participated in this study as part of their 10 regular classroom…

The Use of the Library of Video Excerpts (L.O.V.E.) in Personnel Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trief, Ellen; Rosenblum, L. Penny

2016-01-01

A three-year, grant-funded program to create an online video clip library for personnel programs preparing teachers of students with visual impairments in the United States and Canada was launched in September 2014. The first author was the developer of the Library of Video Excerpts (L.O.V.E.) and collected over 300 video clips that were 8 to 10…

Effectiveness of various innovative learning methods in health science classrooms: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kalaian, Sema A; Kasim, Rafa M

2017-12-01

This study reports the results of a meta-analysis of the available literature on the effectiveness of various forms of innovative small-group learning methods on student achievement in undergraduate college health science classrooms. The results of the analysis revealed that most of the primary studies supported the effectiveness of the small-group learning methods in improving students' academic achievement with an overall weighted average effect-size of 0.59 in standard deviation units favoring small-group learning methods. The subgroup analysis showed that the various forms of innovative and reform-based small-group learning interventions appeared to be significantly more effective for students in higher levels of college classes (sophomore, junior, and senior levels), students in other countries (non-U.S.) worldwide, students in groups of four or less, and students who choose their own group. The random-effects meta-regression results revealed that the effect sizes were influenced significantly by the instructional duration of the primary studies. This means that studies with longer hours of instruction yielded higher effect sizes and on average every 1 h increase in instruction, the predicted increase in effect size was 0.009 standard deviation units, which is considered as a small effect. These results may help health science and nursing educators by providing guidance in identifying the conditions under which various forms of innovative small-group learning pedagogies are collectively more effective than the traditional lecture-based teaching instruction.

Muscular dystrophy summer camp: a case study of a non-traditional level I fieldwork using a collaborative supervision model.

PubMed

Provident, Ingrid M; Colmer, Maria A

2013-01-01

A shortage of traditional medical fieldwork placements has been reported in the United States. Alternative settings are being sought to meet the Accreditation Standards for Level I fieldwork. This study was designed to examine and report the outcomes of an alternative pediatric camp setting, using a group model of supervision to fulfill the requirements for Level I fieldwork. Thirty-seven students from two Pennsylvania OT schools. Two cohorts of students were studied over a two year period using multiple methods of retrospective review and data collection. Students supervised in a group model experienced positive outcomes, including opportunities to deliver client centered care, and understanding the role of caregiving for children with disabilities. The use of a collaborative model of fieldwork education at a camp setting has resulted in a viable approach for the successful attainment of Level I fieldwork objectives for multiple students under a single supervisor.

The Effects of Interactive Word Walls on Students with Learning Disabilities in the Secondary Science Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eustace-DeBaun, Casey Elizabeth

Effective approaches for teaching vocabulary to various populations of learners is a topic of current research (Barr, Eslami, & Malatesha, 2012) yet little research is dedicated to students with learning disabilities in the science classroom. Within this study the interac-tive word wall was used as a tool to build vocabulary and to encourage usage of new sub-ject-specific terminology. The experiment utilized quasi-experimental pre-post test com-parison group design using interrupted time-series (Johnson & Christiensen, 2007) due to the inability to randomize participants and establish a clear control group. The data was collected across four units of terminology and with a student satisfaction survey. Stu-dents reported at least seventy percent satisfaction with the use of Interactive Word Walls and demonstrated some performance increase in both vocabulary retention and reading comprehension when utilizing Interactive Word Walls.

The prevalence of binge eating disorder and its relationship to work and classroom productivity and activity impairment.

PubMed

Filipova, Anna A; Stoffel, Cheri L

2016-07-01

The study aimed to determine the prevalence of binge eating disorder on university campus, its associations with health risk factors, and its associations with work and classroom productivity and activity impairment, adjusted for health risk factors. The study was conducted at a public midwestern university in the United States and involved 1,165 students. Data were collected online, using preestablished instruments. Descriptive, chi-square, correlation, and robust multiple regression tests were used. About 7.8% of the participants were assessed as having binge eating disorder. Binge eating disorder was more common among obese students than nonobese students. Associations were found between moderate binge eating disorder and classroom productivity and daily activity impairment; however, sleep duration and physical activity were the strongest predictors. University students are at risk of binge eating disorder. Interventions with this population should include education, screening, and clinical consultation when warranted.

Public responses to intimate partner violence: comparing preferences of Chinese and American college students.

PubMed

Wu, Yuning; Button, Deeanna M; Smolter, Nicole; Poteyeva, Margarita

2013-01-01

Based on data collected from college students in Beijing and Hong Kong (China) and in Newark and Detroit (United States), this study assesses and explains citizen preferences of 2 major formalized responses to intimate partner violence (IPV)--law enforcement and social services intervention--in a cross-cultural context. Results show that Chinese respondents have lower support for law enforcement responses. Regional variation is only observed within China with students from Hong Kong supporting both law enforcement and social services responses more than their Beijing counterparts. Results also show that social attitudinal variables--including male dominance ideology, perceptions of IPV causation, support for the criminalization of IPV, and tolerance of IPV--influence public preferences of responses to IPV more than do demographic and experiential variables.

Centering the voices of international students in family studies and family therapy graduate programs.

PubMed

McDowell, Teresa; Fang, Shi-Ruei; Kosutic, Iva; Griggs, Julie

2012-06-01

In this article, we report the results of a survey that accessed the perceptions of family studies and family therapy international master's and doctoral students across the United States. Our goals included giving collective voice to the experience of international students and gathering their suggestions for improving programs. Themes that emerged from responses to open- and closed-ended questions included feeling (mis)understood and (de)valued; forming personal connections and experiencing marginalization; the importance of including international perspectives in curricula; considering the relevance/transferability of knowledge; and attending to barriers to learning. Based on the results, we share suggestions for improving family studies and family therapy graduate programs relative to program planning, curricula revision, teaching strategies, and faculty development. © 2012 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

BioDAQ--a simple biosignal acquisition system for didactic use.

PubMed

Csaky, Z; Mihalas, G I; Focsa, M

2002-01-01

A simple non expensive device for biosignal acquisition is presented. It mainly meets the requirements for didactic purposes specific in medical informatics laboratory classes. The system has two main types of devices: 'student unit'--the simplest one, used during lessons on real signals and 'demo unit', which can be also used in medical practice or for collecting biological signals. It is able to record: optical pulse, sphygmogram, ECG (1-4 leads) EEG or EMG (1-4 channels). For didactical purposes it has a large scale of recording options: variable sampling rate, gain and filtering. It can also be used in tele-acquisition via Internet.

Creating a lab to facilitate high school student engagement in authentic paleoclimate science practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maloney, A.; Walsh, E.

2012-12-01

A solid understanding of timescales is crucial for any climate change discussion. This hands-on lab was designed as part of a dual-credit climate change course in which high school students can receive college credit. Using homemade ice cores, students have the opportunity to participate in scientific practices associated with collecting, processing, and interpreting temperature and CO2 data. Exploring millennial-scale cycles in ice core data and extending the CO2 record to the present allows students to discover timescales from an investigators perspective. The Ice Core Lab has been piloted in two high school classrooms and student engagement, and epistemological and conceptual understanding was evaluated using quantitative pre and post assessment surveys. The process of creating this lab involved a partnership between an education assessment professional, high school teachers, and University of Washington professors and graduate students in Oceanography, Earth and Space Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences and the Learning Sciences as part of the NASA Global Climate Change University of Washington in the High School program. This interdisciplinary collaboration led to the inception of the lab and was necessary to ensure that the lesson plan was pedagogically appropriate and scientifically accurate. The lab fits into a unit about natural variability and is paired with additional hands-on activities created by other graduate students that explore short-timescale temperature variations, Milankovitch cycles, isotopes, and other proxies. While the Ice Core Lab is intended to follow units that review the scientific process, global energy budget, and transport, it can be modified to fit any teaching platform.

Calculus Students' Understanding of Area and Volume Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorko, Allison; Speer, Natasha

2015-01-01

Units of measure are critical in many scientific fields. While instructors often note that students struggle with units, little research has been conducted about the nature and extent of these difficulties or why they exist. We investigated calculus students' unit use in area and volume computations. Seventy-three percent of students gave…

Effect of 0.2% chlorhexidine on microbial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines

PubMed Central

Agahi, Raha Habib; Hashemipour, Maryam Alsadat; Kalantari, Mahsa; Ayatollah-Mosavi, Amin; Aghassi, Hossein; Nassab, Amir Hossein Gandjalikhan

2014-01-01

Background: It is known that dental unit waterline can be a source of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mouthwash, chlorhexidine, in controlling microbial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines. Materials and Methods: In the present experimental study, the water in high-speed handpieces and air/water syringes of 35 dental units in a dental school was investigated microbiologically. Five of the units and one tap water served as controls; 100-200-mL water samples were collected aseptically in sterile containers in the morning after a 2-min purge. Water reservoir bottles were emptied and 50 mL of 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash was introduced into the tank. Then the water syringe was used to flush the waterline until the pink-colored chlorhexidine was observed to flow from the water syringe. Before the next day's session and before the students used the unit, two water samples from the water syringe and water turbine was collected. The samples were transferred to the laboratory. After 48 h at 37°C, the microbial colonies were counted. The number of these colonies was evaluated using colony forming unit CFU. Data were analyzed with Mann — Whitney U test and SPSS 13.5 statistical program. The statistical significance was defined at P ≤ 0.05. Results: All 35 units were contaminated before chlorhexidine use; no contamination was detected after adding chlorhexidine to the waterlines of the units. After week 1, 28 of the 30 treated dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) had values of CFU/mL less than 200. Conclusion: The present study showed that the use of chlorhexidine could reduce microbial counts in dental unit waterlines. PMID:25097645

Effect of 0.2% chlorhexidine on microbial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines.

PubMed

Agahi, Raha Habib; Hashemipour, Maryam Alsadat; Kalantari, Mahsa; Ayatollah-Mosavi, Amin; Aghassi, Hossein; Nassab, Amir Hossein Gandjalikhan

2014-05-01

It is known that dental unit waterline can be a source of infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mouthwash, chlorhexidine, in controlling microbial and fungal contamination of dental unit waterlines. In the present experimental study, the water in high-speed handpieces and air/water syringes of 35 dental units in a dental school was investigated microbiologically. Five of the units and one tap water served as controls; 100-200-mL water samples were collected aseptically in sterile containers in the morning after a 2-min purge. Water reservoir bottles were emptied and 50 mL of 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash was introduced into the tank. Then the water syringe was used to flush the waterline until the pink-colored chlorhexidine was observed to flow from the water syringe. Before the next day's session and before the students used the unit, two water samples from the water syringe and water turbine was collected. The samples were transferred to the laboratory. After 48 h at 37°C, the microbial colonies were counted. The number of these colonies was evaluated using colony forming unit CFU. Data were analyzed with Mann - Whitney U test and SPSS 13.5 statistical program. The statistical significance was defined at P ≤ 0.05. All 35 units were contaminated before chlorhexidine use; no contamination was detected after adding chlorhexidine to the waterlines of the units. After week 1, 28 of the 30 treated dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) had values of CFU/mL less than 200. The present study showed that the use of chlorhexidine could reduce microbial counts in dental unit waterlines.

Vocation, Friendship and Resilience: A Study Exploring Nursing Student and Staff Views on Retention and Attrition

PubMed Central

Williamson, Graham R; Health, Val; Proctor-Childs, Tracey

2013-01-01

Introduction: There is international concern about retention of student nurses on undergraduate programmes. United Kingdom Higher Education Institutions are monitored on their attrition statistics and can be penalised financially, so they have an incentive to help students remain on their programmes beyond their moral duty to ensure students receive the best possible educational experience. Aims: to understand students’ and staff concerns about programmes and placements as part of developing our retention strategies. Design: This study reports qualitative data on retention and attrition collected as part of an action research study. Setting: One University School of Nursing and Midwifery in the South West of England. Participants: Staff, current third year and ex-student nurses from the adult field. Methods: Data were collected in focus groups, both face-to face and virtual, and individual telephone interviews. These were transcribed and subjected to qualitative content analysis. Results: Four themes emerged: Academic support, Placements and mentors, Stresses and the reality of nursing life, and Dreams for a better programme. Conclusions: The themes Academic support, Placements and mentors and Stresses and the reality of nursing life, resonate with international literature. Dreams for a better programme included smaller group learning. Vocation, friendship and resilience seem instrumental in retaining students, and Higher Education Institutions should work to facilitate these. ‘Vocation’ has been overlooked in the retention discussions, and working more actively to foster vocation and belongingness could be important. PMID:24167537

NASA missions CALIPSO and CloudSat partner with the GLOBE program to provide student opportunities for data collection to aid scientists researching climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, D. Q.; Maggi, B. H.; Krumm, D. K.

2004-12-01

NASA places great emphasis on developing partnerships with education communities, including collaborations with university scientists, K-16 science educators and students. Two universities contributing to this effort through their involvement with NASA satellite based research missions, CALIPSO and CloudSat, are Hampton University and Colorado State University. Both universities provide atmospheric research scientists for the missions and leadership for the Education and Outreach Programs developed for CALIPSO and CloudSat. These satellite-based research missions are co-manifested for launch during the spring 2004 and are included in the Afternoon Constellation also known as the "A-Train" satellite formation. The A-Train will consist of six missions flying in close proximity, providing combined detailed observations about the Earth's atmosphere allowing scientists to make better predictions related to climate change. CloudSat will use radar and provide a global survey of cloud properties to aid with improving cloud models and the accuracy of weather forecasts. CALIPSO will use Lidar to detect size and distribution of aerosols that will aid in improving our understanding of the role aerosols and clouds play in Earth's climate system. Each of the A-Train missions has a unique education and outreach program for students and teachers. Included in the CALIPSO and CloudSat education and outreach is a partnership with the GLOBE Program. GLOBE involves students worldwide in data collection and mission observations. The GLOBE program is a network of K-14 schools, science centers, after school programs, and environmental clubs from over 105 countries. Students participating in GLOBE collect scientific data according to precise protocols and enter the data into a central database allowing both scientists and students to utilize the information collected. The CALIPSO and CloudSat partnership with GLOBE involves the enlistment of student assistance worldwide for data collection that will be used by both missions. Students use the existing GLOBE protocols on aerosols and clouds to collect data as the satellites pass over their schools. CloudSat scientists will involve students by having them report visual observations related to cloud cover, cloud type and precipitation. This information will be compared to the CloudSat radar data to determine the accuracy of the satellite radar unit. CALIPSO will have students collect and report on aerosol measurements taken with a handheld sun photometer. These measurements will then be compared to those taken with the lidar riding on the satellite. Climate change and the effects aerosols have on climate are current topics in schools today. It now appears likely that anthropogenic aerosols resulting from industrial activities and agricultural burning are affecting weather and climate in some regions of the world. The data collected by students internationally for CALIPSO and CloudSat will allow them to better understand the impacts made by humans on Earth's atmosphere and how these impacts are global in scope. In return, scientists gain a valuable resource giving them ground-based data in more locations than would be possible using established weather stations and research laboratories. The partnership established by the CALIPSO and CloudSat missions with the GLOBE program will provide an opportunity to enrich earth science education in schools with a sustainable connection to NASA education.

Kindergarten students' explanations during science learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Karleah

The study examines kindergarten students' explanations during science learning. The data on children's explanations are drawn from videotaped and transcribed discourse collected from four public kindergarten science classrooms engaged in a life science inquiry unit on the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. The inquiry unit was implemented as part of a larger intervention conducted as part of the Scientific Literacy Project or SLP (Mantzicopoulos, Patrick & Samarapungavan, 2005). The children's explanation data were coded and analyzed using quantitative content analysis procedures. The coding procedures involved initial "top down" explanation categories derived from the existing theoretical and empirical literature on scientific explanation and the nature of students' explanations, followed by an inductive or "bottom up" analysis, that evaluated and refined the categorization scheme as needed. The analyses provide important descriptive data on the nature and frequency of children's explanations generated in classroom discourse during the inquiry unit. The study also examines how teacher discourse strategies during classroom science discourse are related to children's explanations. Teacher discourse strategies were coded and analyzed following the same procedures as the children's explanations as noted above. The results suggest that, a) kindergarten students have the capability of generating a variety of explanations during inquiry-based science learning; b) teachers use a variety of classroom discourse strategies to support children's explanations during inquiry-based science learning; and c) The conceptual discourse (e.g., asking for or modeling explanations, asking for clarifications) to non-conceptual discourse (e.g., classroom management discourse) is related to the ratio of explanatory to non-explanatory discourse produced by children during inquiry-based science learning.

25 CFR 39.807 - How will the Student Unit Value be adjusted annually?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How will the Student Unit Value be adjusted annually? 39.807 Section 39.807 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN... Program § 39.807 How will the Student Unit Value be adjusted annually? (a) The student unit instructional...

National Educators' Workshop: Update 2002 - Standard Experiments in Engineering, Materials Science, and Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prior, Edwin J. (Compiler); Jacobs, James A. (Compiler); Chung, W. Richard (Compiler)

2003-01-01

This document contains a collection of experiments presented and demonstrated at the National Educators' Workshop: Update 2002 held in San Jose, California, October 13-16,2002. This publication provides experiments and demonstrations that can serve as a valuable guide to faculty who are interested in useful activities for their students. The material was the result of years of research aimed at better methods of teaching technical subjects. The experiments developed by faculty, scientists, and engineers throughout the United States and abroad add to the collection from past workshops. They include a blend of experiments on new materials and traditional materials.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alabi, Omowumi O.

2015-04-01

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

Development of Science and Technology Literacy Materials at the Basic Level: Exemplar Materials. Revised during the Regional Workshop Organized within the Framework of Project 2000+: Scientific and Technological Literacy for All (Philippines, November 4-8, 1997).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

This collection of science activities is designed to supplement traditional science education by encompassing an issues-based approach to helping students develop scientific and technological literacy. Each unit can be used within an existing teaching sequence and includes an introduction specifying scientific issues and educational objectives, a…

Pupils' Projects from Zambia. Third World Science. A Collection of Third Form Science Projects from Lubushi Seminary, Kasama, Zambia as Written and Drawn by the Pupils Themselves.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University Coll. of North Wales, Bangor (United Kingdom). School of Education.

The Third World Science Project (TWSP) is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless facination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere; application of knowledge…

Trends in Substance Use among 6th-to 10th-Grade Students from 1998 to 2010: Findings from a National Probability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks-Russell, Ashley; Farhat, Tilda; Haynie, Denise; Simons-Morton, Bruce

2014-01-01

Of the handful of national studies tracking trends in adolescent substance use in the United States, only the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study collects data from 6th through 10th graders. The purpose of this study was to examine trends from 1998 to 2010 (four time points) in the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use…

Opening of Schemes and the Expression of Knowledge Structures in the Construction of Novelty: A Developmental Study of Brazilian and American Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Figueiredo, Eliane L.; Sisto, Fermino F.

The evolution of creative thought was examined, an examination that resulted in the construction of universal criteria for analysis and detailed evidence for the evolution of novelty, i.e. how children create knowledge. The collected data came from 200 students from the United States and 200 from Brazil. Each of the 10 age groups (from 4 to 13…

A survey of collection development for United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) preparation material.

PubMed

Hendrix, Dean; Hasman, Linda

2008-07-01

The research sought to ascertain medical and dental libraries' collection development policies, evaluation methods, purchase decisions, and issues that relate to print and electronic United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) preparation materials. The investigators surveyed librarians supporting American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC)-accredited medical schools (n = 58/125) on the USMLE and librarians supporting American Dental Association (ADA)-accredited dental schools (n = 23/56) on the NBDE. The investigators analyzed the data by cross-tabulating and filtering the results using EFM Continuum web survey software. Investigators also surveyed print and electronic USMLE and NBDE preparation materials from 2004-2007 to determine the number of publications and existence of reviews. A majority of responding AAMC libraries (62%, n = 58) provide at least 1 electronic or online USMLE preparation resource and buy an average of 11.6 print USMLE titles annually. Due to a paucity of NBDE print and electronic resources, ADA libraries bought significantly fewer print resources, and only 1 subscribed to an electronic resource. The most often reported evaluation methods for both populations were feedback from medical or dental students, feedback from medical or dental faculty, and online trials. Some AAMC (10%, n = 58) and ADA libraries (39%, n = 23) libraries reported that no evaluation of these materials occured at their libraries. From 2004-2007, publishers produced 45 USMLE preparation resources (total n = 546) to every 1 NBDE preparation resource (total n = 12). Users' needs, institutional missions and goals, financial status, and official collection policies most often underlie decisions to collect or not collect examination preparation materials. Evaluating the quality of examination preparation materials can be problematic due to lack of published reviews, lack of usability testing by libraries, and librarians' and library users' unfamiliarity with the actual content of examinations. Libraries must integrate faculty and students into the purchase process to make sure examination preparation resources of the highest quality are purchased.

Homestay Program Orientation Manual, Including Leader's Guides and Preparatory Readings, Plus Materials for Student Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grove, Cornelius Lee; Hansel, Bettina

Developed as orientation materials for foreign students coming to the United States to study English, this manual contains six units to acquaint students with U.S. history, government, and culture. The first unit introduces students to the daily routines and interpersonal relationships of U.S. people. Unit 2 examines the origins and significance…

Social Studies: History. Latin American Curriculum Units for Junior and Community Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Richard; Goldston, Angela

These two self-contained units of study will help community college students learn about the history of Latin America. Each unit contains notes to the teachers and student readings. Students are expected to read and discuss the reading selections. In the first unit students are engaged in a comparative historical study of slavery in Brazil and in…

25 CFR 39.802 - What is the student unit value in the formula?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What is the student unit value in the formula? 39.802 Section 39.802 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL... What is the student unit value in the formula? The student unit value is the dollar value applied to...

25 CFR 39.802 - What is the student unit value in the formula?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What is the student unit value in the formula? 39.802 Section 39.802 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL... What is the student unit value in the formula? The student unit value is the dollar value applied to...

Effective Teaching Factors and Student Reading Strategies as Predictors of Student Achievement in PISA 2009: The Case of China and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meng, Lingqi; Muñoz, Marco; King Hess, Kristin; Liu, Shujie

2017-01-01

This study investigated effective teaching factors and student reading strategies as predictors of student reading achievement in the United States and China. Participants were 10,348 students in the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, 5115 from China and 5233 from the United States. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA)…

Nurses' and midwives' acquisition of competency in spiritual care: a focus on education.

PubMed

Attard, Josephine; Baldacchino, Donia R; Camilleri, Liberato

2014-12-01

The debate that spirituality is 'caught' in practice rather than 'taught' implies that spiritual awareness comes about through clinical experience and exposure, requiring no formal education and integration within the curricula. This is challenged as it seems that providing students with a 'taught' component equips students with tools to identify and strengthen resources in 'catching' the concept. This study forms part of a modified Delphi study, which aims to identify the predictive effect of pre- and post-registration 'taught' study units in spiritual care competency of qualified nurses/midwives. A purposive sample of 111 nurses and 101 midwives were eligible to participate in the study. Quantitative data were collected by the Spiritual Care Competency Scale (SCCS) (Van Leeuwen et al., 2008) [response rate: nurses (89%; n=99) and midwives (74%; n=75)]. Overall nurses/midwives who had undertaken the study units on spiritual care scored higher in the competency of spiritual care. Although insignificant, nurses scored higher in the overall competency in spiritual care than the midwives. 'Taught' study units on spiritual care at pre- or post-registration nursing/midwifery education may contribute towards the acquisition of competency in spiritual care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Science Literacy: How do High School Students Solve PISA Test Items?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wati, F.; Sinaga, P.; Priyandoko, D.

2017-09-01

The Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA) does assess students’ science literacy in a real-life contexts and wide variety of situation. Therefore, the results do not provide adequate information for the teacher to excavate students’ science literacy because the range of materials taught at schools depends on the curriculum used. This study aims to investigate the way how junior high school students in Indonesia solve PISA test items. Data was collected by using PISA test items in greenhouse unit employed to 36 students of 9th grade. Students’ answer was analyzed qualitatively for each item based on competence tested in the problem. The way how students answer the problem exhibits their ability in particular competence which is influenced by a number of factors. Those are students’ unfamiliarity with test construction, low performance on reading, low in connecting available information and question, and limitation on expressing their ideas effectively and easy-read. As the effort, selected PISA test items can be used in accordance teaching topic taught to familiarize students with science literacy.

Organisational culture and learning: a case study.

PubMed

Bell, Elaine

2013-11-01

To explore the impact organisational cultures have on the learning experience of student nurses and identify the influencing factors. A case study approach was used. The single case being a Defence School of Health Care Studies (DSHCS) and the multiple units of analysis: student nurses, the lecturers and Student Standing Orders. An in depth three dimensional picture was achieved using multiple data collection methods: interview, survey, observation and document analysis. The findings suggest that the DSHCS is perceived to be a sub-culture within a dominant civilian learning culture. Generally, the students and staff believed that the DSHCS is an excellent learning environment and that the defence students overall are high achievers. The common themes that appeared from the data were image, ethos, environment, discipline, support, welfare and a civilian versus military way of thinking. The learning experience of defence student nurses is very positive and enhanced by the positive learning culture of the civilian Higher Educational Institution. The factors influencing a positive learning experience that can be impacted by the overarching culture are discipline, image, ethos of adult learning, support and welfare. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing future clinician scientists while supporting a research infrastructure.

PubMed

Holsti, Maija; Adelgais, Kathleen M; Willis, Leah; Jacobsen, Kammy; Clark, Edward B; Byington, Carrie L

2013-04-01

Supporting clinical research is a national priority. Clinician scientists are rare and clinical trials in academic medical centers (AMC) often fail to meet enrollment goals. Undergraduate students interested in biomedical careers often lack opportunities to perform clinical research. Describe an innovative undergraduate course that supports clinical research in an AMC. The course, Clinical Research Methods and Practice, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to learn clinical research through didactic and practical experiences. The students in turn support clinician scientists' conduct of clinical studies in an AMC. Clinician scientists receive research support and participate in mentoring sessions for students. Over seven semesters, 128 students have assisted in 21 clinical studies located in outpatient and inpatient units of two hospitals. Students identified and screened eligible patients, collected clinical data, assisted in obtaining informed consent, and transported specimens. Many of the clinician scientists have met their enrollment goals and several have been top-enrollers in multicenter clinical trials as a result of student support. The Clinical Research Methods and Practice class addresses barriers to clinical research in AMC. This may be a model for institutions committed to mentoring students early in their career and to developing infrastructures for clinical research. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The design process of a multimodal module that synthesized knowledge across nursing courses.

PubMed

Wolf, Linda; Rutar, Pamela; Delgado, Cheryl; Niederriter, Joan

2017-05-01

Nursing faculty are being challenged to increase the use of technology in the classroom. Use of technology addresses multiple learning styles, increases student engagement, encourages active learning and improves students' attention. Evaluate student satisfaction to a faculty designed multimedia teaching strategy. Cross sectional design with data collected over six semesters from six cohorts of nursing students. An urban university in the Midwest United States. 154 sophomore generic and accelerated BSN students enrolled in Fundamentals of Nursing; Ninety-nine participants were female (66.9%) and 49 (31.8%) were male. Eighty-three percent were less than 20years to 30years in age. A multimedia teaching strategy developed by three faculty integrating narrated case study, questioning and animation of skills and pathophysiology was implemented during the class session on infection control. At the conclusion, questionnaires were distributed to collect evaluation data. 120 students (77.9%) stated that the animated pathophysiology helped them understand the pathophysiological processes better than lecture alone. When combined with lecture, 121 students or 78.6% reported a better understanding of the material than if presented as lecture alone. 123 (79.9%) of the students stated that watching the animated video improved their understanding of the lecture content. As stated by one student, "I liked the visualization because it helped me further understand the material." 104 (67.5%) stated that presenting course content from multiple courses into one format facilitated the importance of these courses; "I liked that different aspect[s] of nursing were brought together." Use of multimedia in the classroom engages students in the learning process by actively involving students in the learning process as well as facilitating the delivery of difficult course content. Overall, students voiced a preference for all instructional materials to be presented in an animated format. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

World History--Part 1. Teacher's Guide [and Student Guide]. Parallel Alternative Strategies for Students (PASS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaap, Eileen, 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 unit focuses on world history and correlates to Florida's Sunshine State Standards. It is divided into the following 21 units of study that…

Profiles: The Foreign Student in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyan, Douglas R., Ed.

Results of a 1979-1980 survey of foreign students in the United States are presented. The survey, which accompanied the Annual Census of Foreign Students in the United States, studied country of origin, field of study, academic level, sex, and age of foreign students. Of the 2,651 institutions that reported foreign students, 1,961 or 74 percent…

Profiles: The Foreign Student in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyan, Douglas R., Ed.

Results of a 1981-1982 survey of foreign students in the United States are presented. The survey, which accompanied the Annual Census of Foreign Students in the United States, studied country of origin, field of study, academic level, and sex of foreign students. Of the 2,454 institutions that reported foreign students, 1,845 or 75.2 percent…

Implementation of the Clinical Encounters Tracking system at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

PubMed

Hatfield, Amy J; Bangert, Michael P

2005-01-01

The Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) Office of Medical Education &Student Services directed the IUSM Educational Technology Unit to develop a Clinical Encounters Tracking system in response to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education's (LCME) updated accreditation standards. A personal digital assistant (PDA) and centralized database server solution was implemented. Third-year medical students are required to carry a PDA on which they record clinical encounter experiences during all clerkship clinical rotations. Clinical encounters data collected on the PDAs are routinely uploaded to the central server via the PDA HotSyncing process. Real-time clinical encounter summary reports are accessed in the school's online curriculum management system: ANGEL. The resulting IUSM Clinical Encounters Tracking program addresses the LCME accreditation standard which mandates the tracking of medical students' required clinical curriculum experiences.

Manoomin: place-based research with Native American students on wild rice lakes on the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation, northern Minnesota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, E.; Myrbo, A.; Dalbotten, D. M.; Pellerin, H.; Greensky, L.; Howes, T.; Wold, A.; McEathron, M. A.; Shanker, V.

2010-12-01

The manoomin project is a collaboration between Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (Cloquet, MN), the Reservation’s Resource Management Division, and the University of Minnesota funded by the NSF GEO-OEDG Program. It builds on a successful seven-year history of collaboration between these parties, including regular science camps (gidaakiimanaanimigawig, Our Earth Lodge) for students of a wide range of ages. We are working as a team with Native students to study the history of wild rice (manoomin; Zizania palustris), a culturally important resource, growing on Reservation lakes. The joint project takes two main approaches: study of sediment core samples collected from Reservation lakes; and the collection of traditional knowledge about wild rice from the Elders. Science campers collect lake cores during winter with the assistance of the U of MN’s LacCore (National Lacustrine Core Facility) and Resource Management and visit LacCore to log, split and describe cores soon thereafter. Academic mentors with a range of specialties (phytoliths, pollen, plant macrofossils, sedimentology, geochemistry, magnetics) spend 1-2 weeks during the summer with small groups of college-age (>18, many nontraditional) student interns working on a particular paleoenvironmental proxy from the sediment cores. Younger students (middle and high school) also work in small teams in half day units with the same mentors. All campers become comfortable in an academic setting, gain experience working in research labs learning and practicing techniques, and jointly interpret collective results. The continuation of the project over five years (2009-2014) will allow these students to develop relationships with scientists and to receive mentoring beyond the laboratory as they make transitions into 2- and 4-year colleges and into graduate school. Their research provides historical and environmental information that is relevant to their own land that will be used by Resource Management which is charged to protect the wild rice and to improve its growth to better understand these ecosystems in the context of current global and local change. A substantial evaluation component charts progress and provides feedback to project participants and the larger community.

Student Evaluation of the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program in Midwest Schools.

PubMed

Flynn, Alexandra; Zackula, Rosalee; Klaus, Nicole M; McGinness, Liz; Carr, Susan; Macaluso, Matthew

2016-01-01

Yellow Ribbon is a gatekeeper-type suicide prevention program that is widely used in public schools. However, data on its effectiveness are limited. The purpose of our study was to evaluate self-reported changes in knowledge and comfort level communicating about suicide following Yellow Ribbon training for a large, representative sample of students from a public school system in the midwestern United States. The program was administered to students within the same school district during 2006 through 2009. A pre-post survey using a 4-point Likert scale was administered to rate students' knowledge of risk factors and available resources, comfort level communicating about suicide, estimate of friends at risk for suicide, and behavioral intent toward help-seeking. Aggregate responses from 3,257 students, aged 11 to 18 years, were collected by the schools; 51% were female, 33% were Hispanic, and 30% were white. Suicide-related knowledge of risk factors, where to go for help, and resources, along with comfort level in asking for help, all significantly improved following program participation (Cramer's V = 0.243 to 0.376, P < .001). Responses were associated with age and gender, indicating that younger males may benefit more than older males. Implementation of the Yellow Ribbon school-based suicide prevention program appears to be beneficial for students in the midwestern United States. We observed significant improvement in knowledge, comfort level, and behavioral intent for help-seeking if suicidal thoughts occur. Findings also suggested that Yellow Ribbon training administered during middle school may be especially helpful for males.

Grades, Student Satisfaction and Retention in Online and Face-to-Face Introductory Psychology Units: A Test of Equivalency Theory.

PubMed

Garratt-Reed, David; Roberts, Lynne D; Heritage, Brody

2016-01-01

There has been a recent rapid growth in the number of psychology courses offered online through institutions of higher education. The American Psychological Association has highlighted the importance of ensuring the effectiveness of online psychology courses (Halonen et al., 2013). Despite this, there have been inconsistent findings regarding student grades, satisfaction, and retention in online psychology units. Equivalency Theory (Simonson, 1999; Simonson et al., 1999) posits that online and classroom-based learners will attain equivalent learning outcomes when equivalent learning experiences are provided. We present a study of an online introductory psychology unit designed to provide equivalent learning experiences to the pre-existing face-to-face version of the unit. Using quasi-experimental methods, academic performance, student feedback, and retention data from 866 Australian undergraduate psychology students were examined to assess whether the online unit developed to provide equivalent learning experiences produced comparable outcomes to the 'traditional' unit delivered face-to-face. Student grades did not significantly differ between modes of delivery, except for a group-work based assessment where online students performed more poorly. Student satisfaction was generally high in both modes of the unit, with group-work the key source of dissatisfaction in the online unit. The results provide partial support for Equivalency Theory. The group-work based assessment did not provide an equivalent learning experience for students in the online unit highlighting the need for further research to determine effective methods of engaging students in online group activities. Consistent with previous research, retention rates were significantly lower in the online unit, indicating the need to develop effective strategies to increase online retention rates. While this study demonstrates successes in presenting students with an equivalent learning experience, we recommend that future research investigate means of successfully facilitating collaborative group-work assessment, and to explore contributing factors to actual student retention in online units beyond that of non-equivalent learning experiences.

Grades, Student Satisfaction and Retention in Online and Face-to-Face Introductory Psychology Units: A Test of Equivalency Theory

PubMed Central

Garratt-Reed, David; Roberts, Lynne D.; Heritage, Brody

2016-01-01

There has been a recent rapid growth in the number of psychology courses offered online through institutions of higher education. The American Psychological Association has highlighted the importance of ensuring the effectiveness of online psychology courses (Halonen et al., 2013). Despite this, there have been inconsistent findings regarding student grades, satisfaction, and retention in online psychology units. Equivalency Theory (Simonson, 1999; Simonson et al., 1999) posits that online and classroom-based learners will attain equivalent learning outcomes when equivalent learning experiences are provided. We present a study of an online introductory psychology unit designed to provide equivalent learning experiences to the pre-existing face-to-face version of the unit. Using quasi-experimental methods, academic performance, student feedback, and retention data from 866 Australian undergraduate psychology students were examined to assess whether the online unit developed to provide equivalent learning experiences produced comparable outcomes to the ‘traditional’ unit delivered face-to-face. Student grades did not significantly differ between modes of delivery, except for a group-work based assessment where online students performed more poorly. Student satisfaction was generally high in both modes of the unit, with group-work the key source of dissatisfaction in the online unit. The results provide partial support for Equivalency Theory. The group-work based assessment did not provide an equivalent learning experience for students in the online unit highlighting the need for further research to determine effective methods of engaging students in online group activities. Consistent with previous research, retention rates were significantly lower in the online unit, indicating the need to develop effective strategies to increase online retention rates. While this study demonstrates successes in presenting students with an equivalent learning experience, we recommend that future research investigate means of successfully facilitating collaborative group-work assessment, and to explore contributing factors to actual student retention in online units beyond that of non-equivalent learning experiences. PMID:27242587

Overcoming Challenges in School-Wide Survey Administration.

PubMed

Rasberry, Catherine N; Rose, India; Kroupa, Elizabeth; Hebert, Andrew; Geller, Amanda; Morris, Elana; Lesesne, Catherine A

2018-01-01

School-based surveys provide a useful method for gathering data from youth. Existing literature offers many examples of data collection through school-based surveys, and a small subset of literature describes methodological approaches or general recommendations for health promotion professionals seeking to conduct school-based data collection. Much less is available on real-life logistical challenges (e.g., minimizing disruption in the school day) and corresponding solutions. In this article, we fill that literature gap by offering practical considerations for the administration of school-based surveys. The protocol and practical considerations outlined in the article are based on a survey conducted with 11,681 students from seven large, urban public high schools in the southeast United States. We outline our protocol for implementing a school-based survey that was conducted with all students school-wide, and we describe six types of key challenges faced in conducting the survey: consent procedures, scheduling, locating students within the schools, teacher failure to administer the survey, improper administration of the survey, and minimizing disruption. For each challenge, we offer our key lessons learned and associated recommendations for successfully implementing school-based surveys, and we provide relevant tools for practitioners planning to conduct their own surveys in schools.

Supporting Knowledge Integration in Chemistry with a Visualization-Enhanced Inquiry Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Jennifer L.; Linn, Marcia C.

2014-02-01

This paper describes the design and impact of an inquiry-oriented online curriculum that takes advantage of dynamic molecular visualizations to improve students' understanding of chemical reactions. The visualization-enhanced unit uses research-based guidelines following the knowledge integration framework to help students develop coherent understanding by connecting and refining existing and new ideas. The inquiry unit supports students to develop connections among molecular, observable, and symbolic representations of chemical reactions. Design-based research included a pilot study, a study comparing the visualization-enhanced inquiry unit to typical instruction, and a course-long comparison study featuring a delayed posttest. Students participating in the visualization-enhanced unit outperformed students receiving typical instruction and further consolidated their understanding on the delayed posttest. Students who used the visualization-enhanced unit formed more connections among concepts than students with typical textbook and lecture-based instruction. Item analysis revealed the types of connections students made when studying the curriculum and suggested how these connections enabled students to consolidate their understanding as they continued in the chemistry course. Results demonstrate that visualization-enhanced inquiry designed for knowledge integration can improve connections between observable and atomic-level phenomena and serve students well as they study subsequent topics in chemistry.

Designing and Implementing a Jointly-Planned Unit: Expanding Thematic Units beyond the Textbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Laurel M.

A first-grade teacher included her students in her planning of a unit of study. The teacher explained to the students how she planned a unit and invited the students to volunteer ideas for the topic. The topic chosen was space and aliens. The teacher and students discussed what they already knew about the topic, what they wanted to learn about it,…

Energy matters: An investigation of drama pedagogy in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alrutz, Megan

The purpose of this study is to explore and document how informal and improvisational drama techniques affect student learning in the science classroom. While implementing a drama-based science unit, I examined multiple notions of learning, including, but not limited to, traditional notions of achievement, student understanding, student participation in the science classroom, and student engagement with, and knowledge of, science content. Employing an interpretivist research methodology, as outlined by Fredrick Erickson for qualitative analysis in the classroom, I collected data through personal observations; student and teacher interviews; written, artistic and performed class work; video-recorded class work; written tests; and questionnaires. In analyzing the data, I found strong support for student engagement during drama-based science instruction. The drama-based lessons provided structures that drew students into lessons, created enthusiasm for the science curriculum, and encouraged meaningful engagement with, and connections to, the science content, including the application and synthesis of science concepts and skills. By making student contributions essential to each of the lessons, and by challenging students to justify, explain, and clarify their understandings within a dramatic scenario, the classroom facilitators created a conducive learning environment that included both support for student ideas and intellectual rigor. The integration of drama-based pedagogy most affected student access to science learning and content. Students' participation levels, as well as their interest in both science and drama, increased during this drama-based science unit. In addition, the drama-based lessons accommodated multiple learning styles and interests, improving students' access to science content and perceptions of their learning experience and abilities. Finally, while the drama-based science lessons provided multiple opportunities for solidifying understanding of the science content, the data also revealed missed opportunities for sense-making within the delivery of several drama-based science lessons. In conclusion, this study demonstrates how the integration of drama and science prepares students for seeking, accessing, and organizing information in different ways, providing multiple means for students to build knowledge and understanding for actively participating in the changing world around us.

Effectiveness of narrative pedagogy in developing student nurses' advocacy role.

PubMed

Gazarian, Priscilla K; Fernberg, Lauren M; Sheehan, Kelly D

2016-03-01

The literature and research on nursing ethics and advocacy has shown that generally very few nurses and other clinicians will speak up about an issue they have witnessed regarding a patient advocacy concern and that often advocacy in nursing is not learned until after students have graduated and begun working. To evaluate the effectiveness of narrative pedagogy on the development of advocacy in student nurses, as measured by the Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale. We tested the hypothesis that use of a narrative pedagogy assignment related to ethics would improve student nurse's perception of their advocacy role as measured by the Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale using a quasi-experimental nonrandomized study using a pre-test, intervention, post-test design. Data collection occurred during class time from October 2012 to December 2012. The Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale tool was administered to students in class to assess their baseline and was administered again at the completion of the educational intervention to assess whether narrative pedagogy was effective in developing the nursing student's perception of their role as a patient advocate. Students were informed that their participation was voluntary and that the data collected would be anonymous and confidential. The survey was not a graded assignment, and students did not receive any incentive to participate. The institutional review board of the college determined the study to be exempt from review. School of Nursing at a small liberal arts college in the Northeastern United States. A consecutive, nonprobability sample of 44 senior-level nursing students enrolled in their final nursing semester was utilized. Results indicated significant differences in student nurse's perception of their advocacy role related to environment and educational influences following an education intervention using an ethics digital story. Using the Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale, we were able to measure the effectiveness of narrative pedagogy on nursing student's perception of the nurse's advocacy role. © The Author(s) 2014.

Meteorology: Observing, Understanding, and Predicting Weather. Self-Directed Study Units for Grades K-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Mary; Dickinson, Rosemary

This book consists of two complete units on meteorology. The first unit is created for lower elementary students and the second one is for upper elementary grade levels. The units are designed for gifted students and encourage students to be responsible for their own education. Each unit is based on an interdisciplinary approach. Suggestions for…

Effect of mindfulness and yoga on quality of life for elementary school students and teachers: results of a randomized controlled school-based study.

PubMed

Bazzano, Alessandra N; Anderson, Christopher E; Hylton, Chelsea; Gustat, Jeanette

2018-01-01

To assess the impact of a yoga curriculum in an elementary school on student quality of life, and to assess teacher and staff perception of potential barriers to, and benefits of, introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom. A randomized controlled trial was utilized to assess the impact of a brief intervention on third-grade students who screened positive for symptoms of anxiety. Students were randomized to an intervention group of 20 students receiving small-group yoga/mindfulness activities for 8 weeks between October 2016 and February 2017, and a control group of 32 students receiving care as usual. The Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale-Peabody Treatment Progress Battery and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) served as outcomes. Teachers were invited to participate in two professional development sessions about introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom, and completed a survey following each of the sessions. In generalized estimating equation models adjusted for time, the yoga-based intervention was associated with a 14.17 unit increase in student emotional PedsQL ( p -value 0.001) and a 7.43 unit increase in psychosocial PedsQL ( p -value 0.01). Results were not attenuated by adjustment. Teachers and staff reported using yoga more frequently in the classroom following the second of two professional development sessions ( p -value <0.05). Perceived barriers to introducing yoga to the classroom were similar at two data collection time points, while perceived benefits remained high. The intervention was associated with a significant improvement in emotional and psychosocial quality of life in the intervention group when compared to the control group, suggesting that yoga/mindfulness interventions may improve symptoms of anxiety among students. Yoga/mindfulness activities may facilitate stress management among elementary school students and may be added as a complement to social and emotional learning activities.

Graduation Rates for Selected Cohorts, 2008-13; Outcome Measures for Cohort Year 2008; Student Financial Aid, Academic Year 2015-16; and Admissions in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2016: First Look (Preliminary Data). NCES 2017-150

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ginder, Scott A.; Kelly-Reid, Janice E.; Mann, Farrah B.

2017-01-01

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) collects institution-level data from postsecondary institutions in the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia) and other U.S. jurisdictions (see appendix A for a list of other U.S. jurisdictions). This "First Look" presents findings from the preliminary data of the…

The Life and Times of Emma Goldman: A Curriculum for Middle and High School Students. Primary Historical Documents on: Immigration, Freedom of Expression, Women's Rights, Anti-Militarism, Art and Literature of Social Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falk, Candace; And Others

The documents in this curriculum unit are drawn from the massive archive collected by the Emma Goldman Papers Project at the University of California (Berkeley). They are linked to the standard social studies and humanities curriculum themes of art and literature, First Amendment rights, labor, progressive politics, and Red Scare, the rise of…

Dedicated education unit: student perspectives.

PubMed

Nishioka, Vicki M; Coe, Michael T; Hanita, Makoto; Moscato, Susan R

2014-01-01

The study compared students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences in a dedicated education unit (DEU) with their experiences in traditional clinical education. Unlike traditional academic-instructor models, expert nurses in the DEU provide clinical education to students with faculty support. This repeated measures design used student surveys, supplemented by focus group data. Students were more likely to agree that their clinical learning experience was high quality and they had a consistent mentoring relationship during DEU rotations. Students also reported the quality of the unit's learning environment, the leadership style of the nurse manager, and the nursing care on the unit was more favorable in DEUs than traditional units. Consistent with their changed role in DEUs, faculty members were less active in helping students integrate theory and practice. These findings provide additional evidence of the value that the DEU model contributes to high-quality clinical education.

Comparison of ground-based measurements of natural radiation to airborne radiation survey data on transects from coastal California to the Colorado Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoffer, P. W.; Hernández, L.; Messina, P.; Dearaujo, J.; Li, A.; Hicks, A.; White, L.

2008-12-01

Natural gamma radiation measurements were collected with a hand-held Geiger counter at nearly 400 locations on two general transects across the southwestern United States. The data are used to provide ground-truth comparison to published airborne radiation surveys of the region. The first transect was collected by high school students in the SF-ROCKS program at San Francisco State University in the summer of 2008 starting in San Francisco. Data were collected across the Sierra Nevada Range on I-80, and across Highway 50 in Nevada, and I-70 in Utah. Data were collected in and around Great Basin, Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion National Parks, and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. A second transect extends from San José, California to Flagstaff, Arizona and includes the Mojave National Reserve, Death Valley region, and locations throughout the Navajo Reservation region in northern Arizona and western New Mexico. Radiation data (with GPS reference) were collected from all the major sedimentary rock formations and igneous rocks of the Colorado Plateau and from many igneous and metamorphic rocks throughout the Great Basin and southern California deserts. Anomalously high localized levels were noted in selected sedimentary units associated with uranium exploration targets in the Colorado Plateau region, and in caverns and rock fissures where radon gas (and accumulation of derivative fission products) are the inferred sources.

Cost-Effectiveness of Screening and Treating Foreign-Born Students for Tuberculosis before Entering the United States

PubMed Central

Wingate, La’Marcus T.; Posey, Drew L.; Zhou, Weigong; Olson, Christine K.; Maskery, Brian

2015-01-01

Introduction The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering implementation of overseas medical screening of student-visa applicants to reduce the numbers of active tuberculosis cases entering the United States. Objective To evaluate the costs, cases averted, and cost-effectiveness of screening for, and treating, tuberculosis in United States-bound students from countries with varying tuberculosis prevalence. Methods Costs and benefits were evaluated from two perspectives, combined and United States only. The combined perspective totaled overseas and United States costs and benefits from a societal perspective. The United States only perspective was a domestic measure of costs and benefits. A decision tree was developed to determine the cost-effectiveness of tuberculosis screening and treatment from the combined perspective. Results From the United States only perspective, overseas screening programs of Chinese and Indian students would prevent the importation of 157 tuberculosis cases annually, and result in $2.7 million in savings. From the combined perspective, screening programs for Chinese students would cost more than $2.8 million annually and screening programs for Indian students nearly $440,000 annually. From the combined perspective, the incremental cost for each tuberculosis case averted by screening Chinese and Indian students was $22,187 and $15,063, respectively. Implementing screening programs for German students would prevent no cases in most years, and would result in increased costs both overseas and in the United States. The domestic costs would occur because public health departments would need to follow up on students identified overseas as having an elevated risk of tuberculosis. Conclusions Tuberculosis screening and treatment programs for students seeking long term visas to attend United States schools would reduce the number of tuberculosis cases imported. Implementing screening in high-incidence countries could save the United States millions of dollars annually; however there would be increased costs incurred overseas for students and their families. PMID:25924009

Foreign Students: Catalyst for Reducing Parochialism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mauch, James E.

Foreign students make up an important, and growing, segment of higher education in the United States. Reasons why foreign students come to the United States to study include the following: (1) the United States offers a serious approach to higher education in which students receive appropriate training and generally are able to complete the…

Addressing Student Burnout: What Medical Schools Can Learn From Business Schools.

PubMed

Pathipati, Akhilesh S; Cassel, Christine K

2018-03-13

Although they enter school with enthusiasm for a career in medicine, medical students in the United States subsequently report high levels of burnout and disillusionment. As medical school leaders consider how to address this problem, they can look to business schools as one source of inspiration. In this Commentary, the authors argue-based on their collective experience in both medical and business education-that medical schools can draw three lessons from business schools that can help reinvigorate students. First, medical schools should offer more opportunities and dedicated time for creative work. Engaging with diverse challenges promotes intellectual curiosity and can help students maintain perspective. Second, schools should provide more explicit training in resiliency and the management of stressful situations. Many business programs include formal training in how to cope with conflict and how to make high-stakes decisions whereas medical students are typically expected to learn those skills on the job. Finally, medical schools should provide better guidance on practical career considerations like income, lifestyle, and financial skills. Whether in medicine or business, students benefit from open discussions about their personal and professional goals. Medical schools must ensure students have an outlet for those conversations.

Energy drink consumption is associated with reduced sleep quality among college students: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Faris, Mo'ez Al-Islam E; Jahrami, Haitham; Al-Hilali, Marwa M; Chehyber, Noor J; Ali, Sara O; Shahda, Sara D; Obaid, Reyad S

2017-07-01

Intake of caffeinated energy drinks has significantly increased, specifically among young adults and adolescents. College students are prone to developing unhealthy eating habits and dependence on stimulants, which puts them at a greater risk of sleep problems. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of caffeinated energy drink consumption and its association with sleep quality in college students. A sample of 919 randomly selected adults (237 males and 682 females) from various colleges at the University of Sharjah/United Arab Emirates participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected using an online validated questionnaire. The current study revealed that 376 students (41%) were consuming energy drinks on a regular basis. Approximately half of the students had normal sleep patterns; the other half had sleep problems (anxiety and intermittent sleep). Results of the present study revealed a significant (r = -0.10, P < 0.05) relationship between the consumption of energy drinks and sleep quality and patterns. Moderate consumption of energy drinks was reported among college students. Consumption of energy drinks was significantly associated with changes in sleep quality and patterns of students. © 2016 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Recruitment and Baseline Characteristics of American Indian Tribal College Students Participating in a Tribal College Tobacco and Behavioral Survey

PubMed Central

Nazir, Niaman; Pacheco, Christina M.; Filippi, Melissa K.; Pacheco, Joseph; White Bull, Julia; Nance, Christi; Faseru, Babalola; Greiner, K. Allen; Daley, Christine Makosky

2016-01-01

Introduction: American Indians (AIs) have the highest cigarette smoking rates of any racial/ethnic group in the United States. Although the overall smoking prevalence in the United States for nonminority populations has decreased over the past several decades, the same pattern is not observed among AIs. The purpose of this observational study was to collect cigarette smoking and related information from American Indian tribal college students to inform tailored interventions. Methods: We conducted a repeated cross-sectional survey of American Indian tribal college students, Tribal College Tobacco and Behavior Survey (TCTABS), with a focus on recruiting all incoming freshman at three participating tribal colleges in the Midwest and Northern Plains regions. A total of 1256 students participated in the baseline surveys between April 2011 and October 2014. Results: The overall smoking prevalence of this sample was 34.7%, with differences by region (Northern Plains—44.0% and Midwest—28%). The majority, 87.5% of current smokers reported smoking 10 or less cigarettes per day, 41% reported smoking menthol cigarettes, 52% smoked Marlboro brand, and the mean age of their first cigarette was 14 years. The majority, 62% had made at least one quit attempt in the past year. The overwhelming majority of respondents, regardless of their smoking status, thought that the current smoking prevalence on campus was greater than 41% and approximately one-third believed that it was as high as 61%. Conclusions: Very few studies of smoking have been conducted in this population and results from our study confirm the need for effective interventions. Implications: AIs have the highest cigarette smoking rates compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Furthermore, limited studies have examined the epidemiology of cigarette smoking among tribal college students. This study addresses health disparities related to smoking among college students by examining the demographic, cultural, and environmental characteristics of smoking and quitting. Results from this study could lead to the development of a culturally-tailored smoking cessation and prevention program for American Indian tribal college students. PMID:26438647

SEDIDAT: A BASIC program for the collection and statistical analysis of particle settling velocity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Robyn; Thornberg, Steven M.

SEDIDAT is a series of compiled IBM-BASIC (version 2.0) programs that direct the collection, statistical calculation, and graphic presentation of particle settling velocity and equivalent spherical diameter for samples analyzed using the settling tube technique. The programs follow a menu-driven format that is understood easily by students and scientists with little previous computer experience. Settling velocity is measured directly (cm,sec) and also converted into Chi units. Equivalent spherical diameter (reported in Phi units) is calculated using a modified Gibbs equation for different particle densities. Input parameters, such as water temperature, settling distance, particle density, run time, and Phi;Chi interval are changed easily at operator discretion. Optional output to a dot-matrix printer includes a summary of moment and graphic statistical parameters, a tabulation of individual and cumulative weight percents, a listing of major distribution modes, and cumulative and histogram plots of a raw time, settling velocity. Chi and Phi data.

Options: A Career Development Curriculum for Rural High School Students. Unit III, Life Planning [and] Game of Life: Choice and Chance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunne, Faith; And Others

Designed to last approximately 12 days, Unit III of the 4-unit life planning and career development curriculum for rural high school students focuses on skills application. Through experience simulation, students apply skills learned in Unit II to the information from Unit I; they project their future lives and simulate their responses to problems…

An Investigation of the Relationship Between Selected Student Entering Characteristics and Time Required to Achieve Unit Mastery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeager, John L.; Kissel, Mary Ann

The relationship betwee n a composite of student entry characteristics--unit pretest score, number of skills to be mastered in the unit, the student's intelligence quotient and age, units previously mastered--and the amount of time required to complete one of four units of D or E level mathematics was investigated. Beta weights for the regression…

Focusing on learning through constructive alignment with task-oriented portfolio assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cain, A.; Grundy, J.; Woodward, C. J.

2018-07-01

Approaches to learning have been shown to have a significant impact on student success in technical units. This paper reports on an action research study that applied the principles of constructive alignment to improve student learning outcomes in programming units. The proposed model uses frequent formative feedback to engage students with unit material, and encourage them to adopt deep approaches to learning. Our results provide a set of guiding principles and a structured teaching approach that focuses students on meeting unit learning objectives, the goal of constructive alignment. The results are demonstrated via descriptions of the resulting teaching and learning environment, student results, and staff and student reflections.

Adequacy of depression treatment among college students in the United States.

PubMed

Eisenberg, Daniel; Chung, Henry

2012-01-01

There is no published evidence on the adequacy of depression care among college students and how this varies by subpopulations and provider types. We estimated the prevalence of minimally adequate treatment among students with significant past-year depressive symptoms. Data were collected via a confidential online survey of a random sample of 8488 students from 15 colleges and universities in the 2009 Healthy Minds Study. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-2, adapted to a past-year time frame. Students with probable depression were coded as having received minimally adequate depression care based on the criteria from Wang and colleagues (2005). Minimally adequate treatment was received by only 22% of depressed students. The likelihood of minimally adequate treatment was similarly low for both psychiatric medication and psychotherapy. Minimally adequate care was lower for students prescribed medication by a primary care provider as compared to a psychiatrist (P<.01). Racial/ethnic minority students were less likely to receive depression care (P<.01). Adequacy of depression care is a significant problem in the college population. Solutions will likely require greater availability of psychiatry care, better coordination between specialty and primary care using collaborative care models, and increased efforts to retain students in psychotherapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Research Project on Students and Collective Bargaining. Final Report, Year One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shark, Alan R.; And Others

The Research Project on Students and Collective Bargaining is designed to foster dialogue about the impact of academic collective bargaining on students and to encourage further research and development on the question of student involvement in the collective bargaining process. First-year objectives were to: collect and catalog information and…

Promoting Positive Youth Development Through School-Based Social and Emotional Learning Interventions: A Meta-Analysis of Follow-Up Effects.

PubMed

Taylor, Rebecca D; Oberle, Eva; Durlak, Joseph A; Weissberg, Roger P

2017-07-01

This meta-analysis reviewed 82 school-based, universal social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions involving 97,406 kindergarten to high school students (M age  = 11.09 years; mean percent low socioeconomic status = 41.1; mean percent students of color = 45.9). Thirty-eight interventions took place outside the United States. Follow-up outcomes (collected 6 months to 18 years postintervention) demonstrate SEL's enhancement of positive youth development. Participants fared significantly better than controls in social-emotional skills, attitudes, and indicators of well-being. Benefits were similar regardless of students' race, socioeconomic background, or school location. Postintervention social-emotional skill development was the strongest predictor of well-being at follow-up. Infrequently assessed but notable outcomes (e.g., graduation and safe sexual behaviors) illustrate SEL's improvement of critical aspects of students' developmental trajectories. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Finessing incivility: The professional socialisation experiences of student nurses' first clinical placement, a grounded theory.

PubMed

Thomas, Juliet; Jinks, Annette; Jack, Barbara

2015-12-01

Clinical practice is where student nurses are socialised into a professional role and acquire the distinct behaviour, attitudes and values of the nursing profession. Getting it right at the outset can maximise the development of a professional identity and the transmission of robust value systems. To explore the impact of the first clinical placement on the professional socialisation of adult undergraduate student nurses in the United Kingdom. Data of a longitudinal qualitative nature were collected and analysed using grounded theory. First year student nurses in hospital ward placements comprising a rural District General Hospital and a large inner city Hospital kept daily unstructured diaries for six weeks. A total of 26 undergraduate adult student nurses were purposefully sampled between 2008 and 2010 before undertaking their initial clinical placement. Data collection and analysis used grounded theory and the key question asked of the diarists 'tell me what it is like to be a first year nurse on a first placement' was theoretically adjusted during constant comparison and as the theory emerged. Ethical approval and consent was obtained. The theory of finessing incivility comprises a conceptual framework depicting how student nurses deal with professional incivility during their initial clinical placement and sustain a student identity. Being disillusioned with their role as worker rather than learner yields a sense of 'status dislocation'. Despite needing professional benevolence, they remain altruistic and seek recompense from significant others to negotiate for learning opportunities and relocate their student status. Despite the stressful transition into clinical practice rather than 'fit in', the student nurses want to belong as learners. His or her own resilience to learn nursing and be a professional student maintains their resolve, their altruism and strengthens their existing values to be benevolent towards an indifferent profession. This behaviour ultimately mirrors the social nature of the practice community. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of Mainland Chinese Students toward Obtaining Higher Education in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartlett, Michelle E.; Han, Wei; Bartlett, James E., II.

2018-01-01

Since 1978, when the first group of 50 mainland Chinese students came to the United States for education, increasing numbers of mainland Chinese students have come to the United States to get a degree (Lampton, Madancy & Williams, 1986). In 2009, China surpassed India, becoming the largest source country of international students in the United…

Examining the Adjustment Problems of Kenyan International Students Attending Colleges and Universities in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokua, Rodgers Nyandieka

2012-01-01

The literature on international students from Africa, and particularly Kenya, is very limited despite the significant number of Kenyan international students attending colleges and universities in the United States. Therefore, the intent of this study was to examine the adjustment problems of Kenyan international students in the United States. The…

Business Students' Perception of Sales Careers: Differences between Students in Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakaya, Fahri; Quigley, Charles; Bingham, Frank; Hari, Juerg; Nasir, Aslihan

2014-01-01

This research measures perceptual differences between sales and sales careers among business students studying in the United States, Switzerland, and Turkey. Earlier studies indicate that selling and a sales career are not viewed favorably by students in the United States and several other countries. This study expands on prior studies by…

An Evaluation of Two Methods for Teaching United States History to Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winchester, Katherine; Darch, Craig; Eaves, Ronald C.; Shippen, Margaret E.; Ern, Greg; Bell, Bedarius

2009-01-01

We compared two approaches to teaching United States history to students with learning disabilities (LD). We randomly assigned students in seventh through ninth grades (n = 44) to separate treatment groups (strategy-based instruction or traditional instruction). In both approaches, students were taught identical content on two units of the Civil…

Sport Education as a Curriculum Approach to Student Learning of Invasion Games: Effects on Game Performance and Game Involvement.

PubMed

Farias, Cláudio; Valério, Carla; Mesquita, Isabel

2018-03-01

The teaching and learning of games and sport-based activities has historically been the dominant form of the physical education curricula. With an interest in providing to students meaningful and culturally situated sporting experiences, Sport Education is probably the most implemented and researched pedagogical model worldwide. However, although there is considerable evidence that the model as a curriculum approach can benefit the development of social goals and healthy sport behaviors, not a single study as to date examined students' game-play development beyond participation in single and isolated teaching units. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine students' development of Game Performance and Game Involvement during participation in three consecutive Sport Education seasons of invasion games. The participants were an experienced physical education teacher and one seventh-grade class totaling 26 students (10 girls and 16 boys). Using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (Oslin et al., 1998), pre-test to post-tests measures of students' Game Performance and Game Involvement were collected during their participation in basketball (20 lessons), handball (16 lessons), and football (18 lessons) units. Inter-group differences and pre-test to post-test improvements within each season were analyzed through 2 (time) x group (sport) repeated measures ANOVA tests. There were found significant pre-test to post-test improvements in Game Performance and Game Involvement in the second (handball) and third (football) seasons, but not in the first season (basketball). Students' Game Performance and Involvement scores of handball and football were significantly higher than their scores while playing basketball. The opportunity for an extended engagement in game-play activities and prolonged membership of students in the same teams throughout three consecutive seasons of Sport Education were key to the outcomes found. The specific configurations of the game forms played by students either inhibited or enabled their game-play development.

Teaching habitat and animal classification to fourth graders using an engineering-design model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marulcu, Ismail

2014-05-01

Background: The motivation for this work is built upon the premise that there is a need for research-based materials for design-based science instruction. In this paper, a small portion of our work investigating the impact of a LEGOTM engineering unit on fourth grade students' preconceptions and understanding of animals is presented. Purpose: The driving questions for our work are: (1) What is the impact of an engineering-design-based curricular module on students' understanding of habitat and animal classification? (2) What are students' misconceptions regarding animal classification and habitat? Sample: The study was conducted in an inner-city K-8 school in the northeastern region of the United States. There were two fourth grade classrooms in the school. The first classroom included seven girls and nine boys, whereas the other classroom included eight girls and eight boys. All fourth grade students participated in the study. Design and methods: In answering the research questions mixed-method approaches are used. Data collection methods included pre- and post-tests, pre- and post-interviews, student journals, and classroom observations. Identical pre- and post-tests were administered to measure students' understanding of animals. They included four multiple-choice and six open-ended questions. Identical pre- and post-interviews were administered to explore students' in-depth understanding of animals. Results: Our results show that students significantly increased their performance after instruction on both the multiple-choice questions (t = -3.586, p = .001) and the open-ended questions (t = -5.04, p = .000). They performed better on the post interviews as well. Also, it is found that design-based instruction helped students comprehend core concepts of a life science subject, animals. Conclusions: Based on these results, the main argument of the study is that engineering design is a useful framework for teaching not only physical science-related subjects, but also life science subjects in elementary science classrooms.

Effect of mindfulness and yoga on quality of life for elementary school students and teachers: results of a randomized controlled school-based study

PubMed Central

Bazzano, Alessandra N; Anderson, Christopher E; Hylton, Chelsea; Gustat, Jeanette

2018-01-01

Objective To assess the impact of a yoga curriculum in an elementary school on student quality of life, and to assess teacher and staff perception of potential barriers to, and benefits of, introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom. Methods A randomized controlled trial was utilized to assess the impact of a brief intervention on third-grade students who screened positive for symptoms of anxiety. Students were randomized to an intervention group of 20 students receiving small-group yoga/mindfulness activities for 8 weeks between October 2016 and February 2017, and a control group of 32 students receiving care as usual. The Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale-Peabody Treatment Progress Battery and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) served as outcomes. Teachers were invited to participate in two professional development sessions about introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom, and completed a survey following each of the sessions. Results In generalized estimating equation models adjusted for time, the yoga-based intervention was associated with a 14.17 unit increase in student emotional PedsQL (p-value 0.001) and a 7.43 unit increase in psychosocial PedsQL (p-value 0.01). Results were not attenuated by adjustment. Teachers and staff reported using yoga more frequently in the classroom following the second of two professional development sessions (p-value <0.05). Perceived barriers to introducing yoga to the classroom were similar at two data collection time points, while perceived benefits remained high. Conclusion The intervention was associated with a significant improvement in emotional and psychosocial quality of life in the intervention group when compared to the control group, suggesting that yoga/mindfulness interventions may improve symptoms of anxiety among students. Yoga/mindfulness activities may facilitate stress management among elementary school students and may be added as a complement to social and emotional learning activities. PMID:29695937

Promoting Climate Literacy within the 21CCLC Afterschool Community through the Development of a GLOBE Atmosphere Investigation: A Partnership between the United States Department of Education and NASA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harte, T.; Taylor, J.

2017-12-01

NASA Langley Research Center, in partnership with the United States Department of Education, developed and supported implementation of a GLOBE Atmosphere Investigation project designed for the US Department of Education's afterschool program, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC). This project was developed for the middle school audience with the informal educator in mind, with guided activities to ensure successful completion of the investigation. Through an integration of GLOBE Program data collection protocols and NASA learning activities the content unfolded within a set of sequential learning outcomes resulting in a product suited to a variety of informal education settings. To further ensure the success of the project, 21CCLC facilitators attended an in-person GLOBE training during which they received a step-by-step pacing guide for implementing each of the learning activities. As part of the in-person training facilitators participated in each of the learning activities, increasing their confidence and ability to implement them successfully with their students. In the spring, facilitators implementing the investigation with students participated in bi-weekly phone calls with the project lead as a means of monitoring the status of the investigation and providing support. During the investigation, students conducted "real science" through authentic data collection that focused on relationships between clouds, surface temperature and our Earth's energy budget. Each student received a science research journal in which they conducted their investigation and recorded their data, with the option of entering their data into the GLOBE database, providing them an opportunity to compare their data with that of other locations around the world. Data entry was simplified by using the GLOBE Observer App, making this option much more feasible for the afterschool audience. Students presented the results of their project to their peers, community, and state-level afterschool participants and stakeholders in a culminating project event, highlighting their successes and promoting communication as a key element of the scientific research process.

The College Experiences of International Black Women in the United States: A Caribbean Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talley Matthews, Sheikia T.

2017-01-01

Institutions of higher education in the United States enroll the largest number of international students in the world each year (Bain & Cummings, 2005). In 2014-2015, the United States hosted 974,926 international students from around the globe (Open Doors, 2016). The number of students attending college in the United States from Latin…

Improving college students' evaluation of text learning using idea-unit standards.

PubMed

Dunlosky, John; Hartwig, Marissa K; Rawson, Katherine A; Lipko, Amanda R

2011-03-01

When recalling key definitions from class materials, college students are often overconfident in the quality of their responses. Even with commission errors, they often judge that their response is entirely or partially correct. To further understand this overconfidence, we investigated whether idea-unit judgements would reduce overconfidence (Experiments 1 and 2) and whether students inflated their scores because they believed that they knew answers but just responded incorrectly (Experiment 2). College students studied key-term definitions and later attempted to recall each definition when given the key term (e.g., What is the availability heuristic?). All students judged the quality of their recall, but some were given a full-definition standard to use, whereas other students first judged whether their response included each of the individual ideas within the corresponding correct answer. In Experiment 1, making these idea-unit judgements reduced overconfidence for commission errors. In Experiment 2, some students were given the correct definitions and graded other students' responses, and some students generated idea units themselves before judging their responses. Students were overconfident even when they graded other students' responses, and, as important, self-generated idea units for each definition also reduced overconfidence in commission errors. Thus, overconfidence appears to result from difficulties in evaluating the quality of recall responses, and such overconfidence can be reduced by using idea-unit judgements.

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

PubMed

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

2015-09-01

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

Discrete mathematics in deaf education: a survey of teachers' knowledge and use.

PubMed

Pagliaro, Claudia M; Kritzer, Karen L

The study documents what deaf education teachers know about discrete mathematics topics and determines if these topics are present in the mathematics curriculum. Survey data were collected from 290 mathematics teachers at center and public school programs serving a minimum of 120 students with hearing loss, grades K-8 or K-12, in the United States. Findings indicate that deaf education teachers are familiar with many discrete mathematics topics but do not include them in instruction because they consider the concepts too complicated for their students. Also, regardless of familiarity level, deaf education teachers are not familiar with discrete mathematics terminology; nor is their mathematics teaching structured to provide opportunities to apply the real-world-oriented activities used in discrete mathematics instruction. Findings emphasize the need for higher expectations of students with hearing loss, and for reform in mathematics curriculum and instruction within deaf education.

Examining pedagogical practices in family systems nursing: intentionality, complexity, and doing well by families.

PubMed

Moules, Nancy J; Bell, Janice M; Paton, Brenda I; Morck, Angela C

2012-05-01

Teaching graduate family nursing students the important and delicate practice of entering into and mitigating families' illness suffering signifies an educational practice that is rigorous, intense, and contextual, yet not articulated as expounded knowledge. This study examined the pedagogical practices of the advanced practice of Family Systems Nursing (FSN) as taught to master's and doctoral nursing students at the Family Nursing Unit, University of Calgary, using observation of expert and novice clinical practice, live supervision, videotape review, presession hypothesizing, clinical documentation, and the writing of therapeutic letters to families. A triangulation of research methods and data collection strategies, interpretive ethnography, autoethnography, and hermeneutics, were used. Students reported an intensity of learning that had both useful and limiting consequences as they developed skills in therapeutic conversations with families experiencing illness. Faculty used an intentional pedagogical process to encourage growth in perceptual, conceptual, and executive knowledge and skills of working with families.

Sexual coercion, verbal aggression, and condom use consistency among college students.

PubMed

Fair, Cynthia D; Vanyur, Jennifer

2011-01-01

The relationship between condom use and 2 less visible categories of intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual coercion and verbal aggression, was examined among college students. In March 2007 a random cross-sectional sample of undergraduates from the southeast region of the United States was taken to collect information about sexual coercion and verbal aggression, in addition to condom use consistency. Alcohol use was also assessed. Of the 142 participants, 31.7% reported being victims of sexual coercion, and 78% reported having verbally aggressive partners. Participants who reported experiencing sexual coercion in their relationship were significantly less likely to consistently use condoms. Additionally, alcohol use before or during episodes of verbal aggression was negatively associated with condom use. Alcohol use was also significantly associated with heightened incidents of coercion and aggression. Results indicate that among college students, the presence of sexual coercion adversely affects condom use, as does alcohol use.

Planning, Development, and Change in Bristol Bay: A High School Curriculum. Teacher Guide and Student Text. Unit V: Oil and Gas Development. Unit VI: Minerals and Mining. Unit VII: State Land Disposal. Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipka, Jerry; Willer, Cristy

Written with the broad goal of involving high school students in Bristol Bay, Alaska, in the planning and design of their region's future, this combined teacher guide and student text contains the final three units of a seven-unit curriculum. Unit V looks at oil development in the Bering Sea, covering topics such as Alaska's dependence on oil,…

The Role of Graduate Employee Unions in Gender Equality (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Nicholas A.; Freeland, Emily

2009-04-01

Graduate employee unions represent a significant fraction of graduate employees in the United States, Canada, and other nations. The collective bargaining process is a unique forum where issues ranging from paid parental leave, hostile work environment, and access to lactation rooms can be addressed on an even footing with the employing universities. Because employment is governed by a collective bargaining agreement, violations are subject to a grievance policy. The Teaching Assistants' Association at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the oldest graduate employee unions in the world. We discuss this example union, including successes in both the collective bargaining process and the grievance procedure. In particular, we find that graduate employee unions are an effective means of fighting pregnancy discrimination. We also provide a comparison of parental leave policies for graduate students at various universities.

2016 Emergent Data on Students in Australian Schools Receiving Adjustments for Disability. Nationally Consistent Collection of Data. School Students with Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Council, 2016

2016-01-01

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (the collection) identified 685,911 students received an educational adjustment due to disability. Through this collection, teachers use their professional judgement based on evidence to capture information. This report looks at the emergent data on students in…

International Students: A Comparison of Health Status and Physical Health before and after Coming to the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Msengi, Clementine M.; Msengi, Israel G.; Harris, Sandra; Hopson, Michael

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the health status and physical health of international students at five American universities. International students in the United States were asked to compare the status of their health before and after coming to the United States. Findings suggested that health status of international students declined…

Planning, Development, and Change in Bristol Bay: A High School Curriculum. Teacher Guide and Student Text. Unit III: 1991 and Beyond. Unit IV: International Perspective. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipka, Jerry; Willer, Cristy

Written with the broad goal of involving high school students in Bristol Bay, Alaska, in the planning and design of their region's future, this combined teacher guide and student text contains the third and fourth units of a seven-unit curriculum. Unit III covers the terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and the complicated issues…

Navigating the Health Care System: An Adolescent Health Literacy Unit for High Schools.

PubMed

Hughes, Denise; Maiden, Kristin

2018-05-01

Currently, no intervention concerning transition of health care responsibilities from parents to teens exists for adolescents in the general population. The purpose of this intervention was to evaluate teacher satisfaction and student knowledge gain of a health unit developed for adolescents on becoming their own health care advocates. Throughout the 2014-2015 school year, 13 health and career technical education teachers in 11 Delaware high schools taught the unit to 948 students in 2 90-minute classes in 35 classrooms. Assessments included teacher reflections and student pre- and posttests to measure knowledge transfer and gain and gather feedback. Teacher and student feedback indicated the materials were appropriate and useful in teaching students to navigate the health care system. Student knowledge increased from pretest (64%) to posttest (82%), (p < .001). The educational background of the teacher did not influence this outcome. Students reported they will know what to do better at their next doctor's appointment because of this unit and indicated support for peers to learn this information. The unit resulted in content knowledge increase for students. It was consistently effective throughout all schools regardless of social and demographic characteristics, teacher type, or experience teaching the unit. © 2018, American School Health Association.

[NIC as a tool for assessing competences of nursing students in clinical placement at surgical units].

PubMed

Celma Vicente, Matilde; Ajuria-Imaz, Eloisa; Lopez-Morales, Manuel; Fernandez-Marín, Pilar; Menor-Castro, Alicia; Cano-Caballero Galvez, Maria Dolores

2015-01-01

This paper shows the utility of a NIC standardized language to assess the extent of nursing student skills at Practicum in surgical units To identify the nursing interventions classification (NIC) that students can learn to perform in surgical units. To determine the level of difficulty in learning interventions, depending on which week of rotation in clinical placement the student is. Qualitative study using Delphi consensus technique, involving nurses with teaching experience who work in hospital surgical units, where students undertake the Practicum. The results were triangulated through a questionnaire to tutors about the degree of conformity. A consensus was reached about the interventions that students can achieve in surgical units and the frequency in which they can be performed. The level of difficulty of each intervention, and the amount of weeks of practice that students need to reach the expected level of competence was also determined. The results should enable us to design better rotations matched to student needs. Knowing the frequency of each intervention that is performed in each unit determines the chances of learning it, as well as the indicators for its assessment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Going alone: the lived experience of female Arab-Muslim nursing students living and studying in the United States.

PubMed

McDermott-Levy, Ruth

2011-01-01

Since 2004, international student enrollment in the United States has increased. Middle Eastern students studying in the United States have been part of the increase. In 2008-2009 there were 29 140 Middle Eastern students, representing an 18% increase from the previous academic year. Despite these increases, there is limited research examining the experience of Arab-Muslim international students or international nursing students studying in the United States. Phenomenological inquiry was used to describe the experience of 12 female Omani nurses living in the United States while studying for their baccalaureate degrees in nursing. The women described the experience of going alone and being away from the support and presence of their large, extended families; this influenced their international student experience. They also described their religious, cultural, and educational adaptation. The experience of living and studying nursing in the United States was transformational as they became self-reliant, learned their capabilities, and adapted to cultural and educational expectations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Truth: Humanities Unit (Middle and Secondary Grade Levels). Programs for Gifted Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, Barbara; Kolman, Peter

One in a series of instructional units designed for gifted students, this booklet describes a humanities unit for students in middle and secondary grades. The specific focus of the unit is on truth as it is perceived and expressed in philosophy, literature, art, music, drama, and the social sciences. The study of truth and its surrounding concepts…

Legal Teaching Methods to Diverse Student Cohorts: A Comparison between the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraal, Diane

2017-01-01

This article makes a comparison across the unique educational settings of law and business schools in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and New Zealand to highlight differences in teaching methods necessary for culturally and ethnically mixed student cohorts derived from high migration, student mobility, higher education rankings…

Collective Student Trust: A Social Resource for Urban Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Curt M.

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if collective student trust functions as a resource for urban elementary students. Methods: Data from 1,646 students nested in 56 elementary schools in an urban school district were used to test the hypothesized effect of collective student trust on school identification, self-regulated…

Crossing the "line": College students and academic integrity in nursing.

PubMed

Bultas, Margaret W; Schmuke, Ashley D; Davis, Renée L; Palmer, Janice L

2017-09-01

Researchers have shown a relationship between academic integrity in the classroom and acts of dishonest behavior in the clinical setting which is concerning for nursing faculty and the health care field. The purpose of this study was to compare the attitudes toward academic integrity and the frequency of behaviors related to academic dishonesty in nursing and non-nursing students at a religiously affiliated institution. A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used to collect data regarding the knowledge, behavior, perceptions, and attitudes related to academic integrity via an online survey. Nursing students and non-nursing students who attended a religiously affiliated (Jesuit) University in the United States were surveyed for this study. Results of the study suggest upper division and second degree nursing students are less tolerant and more condemnatory of cheating than younger students. Frequent dishonest classroom behaviors include asking and telling other students what was on the exam while the most frequent dishonest clinical behaviors included documenting findings that were not assessed or findings that were false. Recommendations for nursing faculty include frequent and timely discussion of expected behaviors and values of nurses in order to support students' development of honesty and integrity beyond the classroom and into the clinical setting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Culturally relevant inquiry-based laboratory module implementations in upper-division genetics and cell biology teaching laboratories.

PubMed

Siritunga, Dimuth; Montero-Rojas, María; Carrero, Katherine; Toro, Gladys; Vélez, Ana; Carrero-Martínez, Franklin A

2011-01-01

Today, more minority students are entering undergraduate programs than ever before, but they earn only 6% of all science or engineering PhDs awarded in the United States. Many studies suggest that hands-on research activities enhance students' interest in pursuing a research career. In this paper, we present a model for the implementation of laboratory research in the undergraduate teaching laboratory using a culturally relevant approach to engage students. Laboratory modules were implemented in upper-division genetics and cell biology courses using cassava as the central theme. Students were asked to bring cassava samples from their respective towns, which allowed them to compare their field-collected samples against known lineages from agricultural stations at the end of the implementation. Assessment of content and learning perceptions revealed that our novel approach allowed students to learn while engaged in characterizing Puerto Rican cassava. In two semesters, based on the percentage of students who answered correctly in the premodule assessment for content knowledge, there was an overall improvement of 66% and 55% at the end in the genetics course and 24% and 15% in the cell biology course. Our proposed pedagogical model enhances students' professional competitiveness by providing students with valuable research skills as they work on a problem to which they can relate.

Grade 7 students' normative decision making in science learning about global warming through science technology and society (STS) approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luengam, Piyanuch; Tupsai, Jiraporn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

This study reported Grade 7 students' normative decision making in teaching and learning about global warming through science technology and society (STS) approach. The participants were 43 Grade 7 students in Sungkom, Nongkhai, Thailand. The teaching and learning about global warming through STS approach had carried out for 5 weeks. The global warming unit through STS approach was developed based on framework of Yuenyong (2006) that consisted of five stages including (1) identification of social issues, (2) identification of potential solutions, (3) need for knowledge, (4) decision-making, and (5) socialization stage. Students' normative decision making was collected during their learning by questionnaire, participant observation, and students' tasks. Students' normative decision making were analyzed from both pre-and post-intervention and students' ideas during the intervention. The aspects of normative include influences of global warming on technology and society; influences of values, culture, and society on global warming; and influences of technology on global warming. The findings revealed that students have chance to learn science concerning with the relationship between science, technology, and society through their giving reasons about issues related to global warming. The paper will discuss implications of these for science teaching and learning through STS in Thailand.

Findings from a study of aspiring nursing student leaders.

PubMed

Waite, Roberta; McKinney, Nicole S

2015-12-01

Transformational leadership skills are critical to operate effectively in today's healthcare environment. Prelicensure nurses do not often practice these skills in a meaningful way during their undergraduate educational experience. This paper describes quantitative pre-post findings from the Kouzes and Posner Student Leadership Practices Inventory to examine students' leadership attributes pre-post engagement in an 18 month undergraduate leadership program. This is a non-experimental convenience study that used a quantitative pre-post survey design collecting data from participants and observers using the 360 Kouzes and Posner Student Leadership Practices Inventory. A private university in the northeastern region of the United States. Fourteen junior level nursing students who concurrently participated in a leadership program while concurrently completing their required academic courses for their bachelor's degree in nursing. Paired sample t-tests were used to determine if there was statistical significance among student participants' and observers' perceptions of specific leadership behaviors and skills of students at the onset (pretest) and at the conclusion (posttest) of the leadership program. Participant and observer scores were positively correlated and statistical significance was identified in several practice areas. It is important to integrate transformation leadership skills into undergraduate curriculum since it supports students' engagement in their own learning and instills foundational knowledge critical to their leadership trajectory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is the learn unit a fundamental measure of pedagogy?

PubMed Central

Greer, R. Douglas; McDonough, Sally Hogin

1999-01-01

We propose a measure of teaching, the learn unit, that explicitly describes the interaction between teachers and their students. The theoretical, educational research, and applied behavior analysis literatures all converge on the learn unit as a fundamental measure of teaching. The theoretical literature proposes the construct of the interlocking operant and embraces verbal behavior, social interaction, and translations of psychological constructs into complex theoretical respondent-operant interactions and behavior-behavior relations. Research findings in education and applied behavior analysis on engaged academic time, opportunity to respond, active student responding, teacher-student responding, student-teacher responding, tutor-tutee responding, tutee-tutor responding, and verbal episodes between individuals all support a measure of interlocking responses. More recently, research analyzing the components of both the students' and teachers' behavior suggests that the learn unit is the strongest predictor of effective teaching. Finally, we propose applications of the learn unit to other issues in pedagogy not yet researched and the relation of learn units to the verbal behavior of students. PMID:22478317

Electrophysiology Meets Ecology: Investigating How Vision is Tuned to the Life Style of an Animal using Electroretinography.

PubMed

Stowasser, Annette; Mohr, Sarah; Buschbeck, Elke; Vilinsky, Ilya

2015-01-01

Students learn best when projects are multidisciplinary, hands-on, and provide ample opportunity for self-driven investigation. We present a teaching unit that leads students to explore relationships between sensory function and ecology. Field studies, which are rare in neurobiology education, are combined with laboratory experiments that assess visual properties of insect eyes, using electroretinography (ERG). Comprised of nearly one million species, insects are a diverse group of animals, living in nearly all habitats and ecological niches. Each of these lifestyles puts different demands on their visual systems, and accordingly, insects display a wide array of eye organizations and specializations. Physiologically relevant differences can be measured using relatively simple extracellular electrophysiological methods that can be carried out with standard equipment, much of which is already in place in most physiology laboratories. The teaching unit takes advantage of the large pool of locally available species, some of which likely show specialized visual properties that can be measured by students. In the course of the experiments, students collect local insects or other arthropods of their choice, are guided to formulate hypotheses about how the visual system of "their" insects might be tuned to the lifestyle of the species, and use ERGs to investigate the insects' visual response dynamics, and both chromatic and temporal properties of the visual system. Students are then guided to interpret their results in both a comparative physiological and ecological context. This set of experiments closely mirrors authentic research and has proven to be a popular, informative and highly engaging teaching tool.

Engaging actively with issues in the responsible conduct of science: lessons from international efforts are relevant for undergraduate education in the United States.

PubMed

Clements, John D; Connell, Nancy D; Dirks, Clarissa; El-Faham, Mohamed; Hay, Alastair; Heitman, Elizabeth; Stith, James H; Bond, Enriqueta C; Colwell, Rita R; Anestidou, Lida; Husbands, Jo L; Labov, Jay B

2013-01-01

Numerous studies are demonstrating that engaging undergraduate students in original research can improve their achievement in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and increase the likelihood that some of them will decide to pursue careers in these disciplines. Associated with this increased prominence of research in the undergraduate curriculum are greater expectations from funders, colleges, and universities that faculty mentors will help those students, along with their graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, develop an understanding and sense of personal and collective obligation for responsible conduct of science (RCS). This Feature describes an ongoing National Research Council (NRC) project and a recent report about educating faculty members in culturally diverse settings (Middle East/North Africa and Asia) to employ active-learning strategies to engage their students and colleagues deeply in issues related to RCS. The NRC report describes the first phase of this project, which took place in Aqaba and Amman, Jordan, in September 2012 and April 2013, respectively. Here we highlight the findings from that report and our subsequent experience with a similar interactive institute in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Our work provides insights and perspectives for faculty members in the United States as they engage undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral fellows, to help them better understand the intricacies of and connections among various components of RCS. Further, our experiences can provide insights for those who may wish to establish "train-the-trainer" programs at their home institutions.

Electrophysiology Meets Ecology: Investigating How Vision is Tuned to the Life Style of an Animal using Electroretinography

PubMed Central

Stowasser, Annette; Mohr, Sarah; Buschbeck, Elke; Vilinsky, Ilya

2015-01-01

Students learn best when projects are multidisciplinary, hands-on, and provide ample opportunity for self-driven investigation. We present a teaching unit that leads students to explore relationships between sensory function and ecology. Field studies, which are rare in neurobiology education, are combined with laboratory experiments that assess visual properties of insect eyes, using electroretinography (ERG). Comprised of nearly one million species, insects are a diverse group of animals, living in nearly all habitats and ecological niches. Each of these lifestyles puts different demands on their visual systems, and accordingly, insects display a wide array of eye organizations and specializations. Physiologically relevant differences can be measured using relatively simple extracellular electrophysiological methods that can be carried out with standard equipment, much of which is already in place in most physiology laboratories. The teaching unit takes advantage of the large pool of locally available species, some of which likely show specialized visual properties that can be measured by students. In the course of the experiments, students collect local insects or other arthropods of their choice, are guided to formulate hypotheses about how the visual system of “their” insects might be tuned to the lifestyle of the species, and use ERGs to investigate the insects’ visual response dynamics, and both chromatic and temporal properties of the visual system. Students are then guided to interpret their results in both a comparative physiological and ecological context. This set of experiments closely mirrors authentic research and has proven to be a popular, informative and highly engaging teaching tool. PMID:26240534

Student Evaluation of the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program in Midwest Schools

PubMed Central

Flynn, Alexandra; Zackula, Rosalee; Klaus, Nicole M.; McGinness, Liz; Carr, Susan; Macaluso, Matthew

2016-01-01

Objective Yellow Ribbon is a gatekeeper-type suicide prevention program that is widely used in public schools. However, data on its effectiveness are limited. The purpose of our study was to evaluate self-reported changes in knowledge and comfort level communicating about suicide following Yellow Ribbon training for a large, representative sample of students from a public school system in the midwestern United States. Methods The program was administered to students within the same school district during 2006 through 2009. A pre-post survey using a 4-point Likert scale was administered to rate students’ knowledge of risk factors and available resources, comfort level communicating about suicide, estimate of friends at risk for suicide, and behavioral intent toward help-seeking. Results Aggregate responses from 3,257 students, aged 11 to 18 years, were collected by the schools; 51% were female, 33% were Hispanic, and 30% were white. Suicide-related knowledge of risk factors, where to go for help, and resources, along with comfort level in asking for help, all significantly improved following program participation (Cramer’s V = 0.243 to 0.376, P < .001). Responses were associated with age and gender, indicating that younger males may benefit more than older males. Conclusions Implementation of the Yellow Ribbon school-based suicide prevention program appears to be beneficial for students in the midwestern United States. We observed significant improvement in knowledge, comfort level, and behavioral intent for help-seeking if suicidal thoughts occur. Findings also suggested that Yellow Ribbon training administered during middle school may be especially helpful for males. PMID:27733952

Engaging Actively with Issues in the Responsible Conduct of Science: Lessons from International Efforts Are Relevant for Undergraduate Education in the United States

PubMed Central

Clements, John D.; Connell, Nancy D.; Dirks, Clarissa; El-Faham, Mohamed; Hay, Alastair; Heitman, Elizabeth; Stith, James H.; Bond, Enriqueta C.; Colwell, Rita R.; Anestidou, Lida; Husbands, Jo L.; Labov, Jay B.

2013-01-01

Numerous studies are demonstrating that engaging undergraduate students in original research can improve their achievement in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and increase the likelihood that some of them will decide to pursue careers in these disciplines. Associated with this increased prominence of research in the undergraduate curriculum are greater expectations from funders, colleges, and universities that faculty mentors will help those students, along with their graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, develop an understanding and sense of personal and collective obligation for responsible conduct of science (RCS). This Feature describes an ongoing National Research Council (NRC) project and a recent report about educating faculty members in culturally diverse settings (Middle East/North Africa and Asia) to employ active-learning strategies to engage their students and colleagues deeply in issues related to RCS. The NRC report describes the first phase of this project, which took place in Aqaba and Amman, Jordan, in September 2012 and April 2013, respectively. Here we highlight the findings from that report and our subsequent experience with a similar interactive institute in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Our work provides insights and perspectives for faculty members in the United States as they engage undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral fellows, to help them better understand the intricacies of and connections among various components of RCS. Further, our experiences can provide insights for those who may wish to establish “train-the-trainer” programs at their home institutions. PMID:24297287

An ethnographic investigation of the process of change in students' environmental identity and pro-environmental behavior in an Environmental Science course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blatt, Erica N.

In recent years, the Environmental Science course has become increasingly integrated into the high school curriculum as a component of the core curriculum, an AP course, or as an elective (Edelson, 2007); however, little research has been conducted to evaluate the course's effectiveness in developing students' understanding of their relationship with the environment (Zelezny, 1999). Therefore, this ethnographic study at a public high school in the Northeastern United States focuses on the teacher's goals for the Environmental Science course, how students respond to the enactment of these objectives during activities in the classroom, and how the class impacts students' views of their relationship with the environment and their pro-environmental behavior. A sociocultural approach is utilized to explore how students' environmental identities, their interactions with the course content, as well as their social interactions affect their experiences in the Environmental Science classroom. The study's conceptual framework is based upon Kempton and Holland's (2003) stages of environmental identity development, as well as symbolic interactionist theories of emotion. The participants in this study are an Environmental Science teacher and the 10-12th grade students (N=17) in her semester-long elective, "Environmental Science." The researcher collected data for a period of six months during the spring semester of 2009, attending class on a daily basis. Data was collected through participant observation, videotaping, interviews, cogenerative dialogues, and various surveys. The objectives for the Environmental Science course explored in this research include the role of science content knowledge and critical thinking as students are exposed to new environmental information; developing students' emotional connection with environmental issues; influencing students' environmental behavior; and empowering students to feel that they can make a difference through their own actions. Through presentation of the students' reactions to their experiences in the classroom, the results of this study provide new information for educators working with students to help them define their relationship with the environment by illuminating the elements of various activities that are effective for individual students, as well as factors that may be prohibitive. Findings therefore provide insight for science teachers designing and incorporating environmental activities into the high school curriculum.

Using Guided Notes to Increase the Understanding of Anatomy and Physiology in 11th Grade Science Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariano, Jay

A survey of over 500 science teachers reported that two thirds of their science classes were lecture based lessons where students were required to listen and take notes (Boyle, 2010). In addition to taking notes from lectures, note taking is a necessary skill to possess to record scientific observations and procedures and record information during class. Guided notes is a pedagogical method in which the instructor prepares and provides students with a modified form of lecture information to guide students (Neef, McCord, & Ferreri, 2006). This study examined the extent to which the use of guided notes in a unit of study of the muscular system of anatomy and physiology positively affected the mastery on content-based assessments for 11 th grade students. The data collection methods included quiz and test scores, a 4-point Likert scale survey, and an open-ended questionnaire. Results of the data revealed that guided notes was one factor that led to mastery in learning content. Additionally, students in this study preferred this method as it helped them to distinguish relevant information allowing more time to listen and focus on the teacher.

Individual and group meaning-making in an urban third grade classroom: Red fog, cold cans, and seeping vapor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Southerland, Sherry; Kittleson, Julie; Settlage, John; Lanier, Kimberly

2005-11-01

We examined third graders' understandings of condensation using an expanded notion of the Emergent Perspective, a reflexive consideration of individual and group meaning-making situated in the culture of the classroom. Data were collected from two small groups of students in an inquiry-based, urban classroom during a unit on the water cycle. Measures included conceptual pre-/posttests, interviews, written work, and discourse analyses of a science lesson. Although we identified the supportive role of the teacher's explicit assessments of children's ideas, within the small groups, the force that most potently shaped meaning-making was students' persuasive power, which was in part influenced by the rhetorical moves employed. Specifically, students' evaluative comments (a type of rhetorical move) about contributions of other group members seemed to be particularly persuasive in these groups. Evaluative comments, apart from students' academic status, were shown to be an important influence in not only social knowledge production but also in individual internalization. Our explanation focuses on the particular discursive practices as intellectual resources of urban students, but we are also mindful of the cognitive complexity of the material and the developmental abilities of the students.

Reading space characteristics in campus environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tampubolon, A. C.; Kusuma, H. E.

2018-03-01

Reading activity is a part of daily learning activities that are usually done by college students and takes place in the facilities that are provided by the campus. However, students tend to have a perception of a particular location that is considered appropriate with the activities undertaken. This study identified students’ perceptions of reading space characteristics in campus environment which are considered able to accommodate reading activity. Exploratory qualitative research methods were used to collect data from selected types of space and the reasons for the students in choosing the specifics space to do their reading. The results showed that students do not only use library facilities as a support unit of academic activities. This study found that students tend to use some places with non-library function, such as students’ union room, hallway, and classroom. Students perceive reading space by its physical and social characteristics. The physical consist of ambiance, quiet place, tranquility, availability of facilities, the level of coolness, lighting, location accessibility, connection with nature, convenience furniture, air quality, aesthetics, the flexibility of activities, the crowd of place, the level of shade, outdoor, ownership, and indoor. While the social characteristics of the reading space are to have privacy, favorable reading position, and the presence of others.

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…

Status of personal health requirement for graduation at institutions of higher education in the United States.

PubMed

Henry, Dayna S; Aydt Klein, Nicole; Kempland, Monica; Rose Oswalt, Sarah; Rexilius, Molly A

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the proportion of higher education institutions in the United States that require a personal health course (PHC) for graduation and to describe the nature of such requirements. Participants: This study included a random sample of public and private institutions of higher education (IHE) with undergraduate programs within the United States (N = 310). Data were collected between September 2014 and May 2015. University catalogs were accessed from the institutions' public Web sites to determine whether a PHC was offered, and whether it was exclusively or optionally required for graduation. The majority (55.8%) of the sample offered at least 1 PHC, with only 10% exclusively requiring the course and an additional 10% optionally required the course. Although the utility of undergraduate students completing a PHC is clear, the majority of institutions do not require such a course for degree conferral.

Kids in Germany: Comparing Students from Different Cultures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzhugh, William P.

This unit of study, intended for intermediate grade students, focuses on comparing students from different cultures: Germany and the United States. The unit addresses National Social Studies Standards (NCSS) standards; presents an introduction, such as purpose/rationale; cites a recommended grade level; states objectives; provides a time…

Relevancy in Basic Courses: Considering Toxic Chemical Disposal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sollimo, Vincent J.

1985-01-01

A 2-week unit on toxic chemical waste disposal is used in a physical science course for nonscience majors. Descriptions of the unit, supplementary student activities, and student library project are provided. Also provided are selected student responses to a five-question survey on the unit. (JN)

The Identification of Issues Serving as Barriers to Positive Educational Experiences for Saudi Arabian Students Studying in the State of Missouri

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofer, V. Jean

2009-01-01

The United States has experienced unrivaled success in attracting international students for higher education studies. Saudi Arabia has sponsored students for study in the United States since 1950, with the number of students on scholarship varying according to the fluctuation in oil prices. The cultures of Saudi Arabia and the United States…

Impact of interactive online units on learning science among students with learning disabilities and English learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terrazas-Arellanes, Fatima E.; Gallard M., Alejandro J.; Strycker, Lisa A.; Walden, Emily D.

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to document the design, classroom implementation, and effectiveness of interactive online units to enhance science learning over 3 years among students with learning disabilities, English learners, and general education students. Results of a randomised controlled trial with 2,303 middle school students and 71 teachers across 13 schools in two states indicated that online units effectively deepened science knowledge across all three student groups. Comparing all treatment and control students on pretest-to-posttest improvement on standards-based content-specific assessments, there were statistically significant mean differences (17% improvement treatment vs. 6% control; p < .001); no significant interactions were found between treatment condition and learning disability or English learner status, indicating that these two groups performed similarly to their peers; students with learning disabilities had significantly lower assessment scores overall. Teachers and students were moderately satisfied with the units.

Student-generated questions during chemistry lectures: Patterns, self-appraisals, and relations with motivational beliefs and achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergey, Bradley W.

Self-generated questions are a central mechanism for learning, yet students' questions are often infrequent during classroom instruction. As a result, little is known about the nature of student questioning during typical instructional contexts such as listening to a lecture, including the extent and nature of student-generated questions, how students evaluate their questions, and the relations among questions, motivations, and achievement. This study examined the questions undergraduate students (N = 103) generated during 8 lectures in an introductory chemistry course. Students recorded and appraised their question in daily question logs and reported lecture-specific self-efficacy beliefs. Self-efficacy, personal interest, goal orientations, and other motivational self-beliefs were measured before and after the unit. Primary analyses included testing path models, multiple regressions, and latent class analyses. Overall, results indicated that several characteristics of student questioning during lectures were significantly related to various motivations and achievement. Higher end-of-class self-efficacy was associated with fewer procedural questions and more questions that reflected smaller knowledge deficits. Lower exam scores were associated with questions reflecting broader knowledge deficits and students' appraisals that their questions had less value for others than for themselves. Individual goal orientations collectively and positively predicted question appraisals. The questions students generated and their relations with motivational variables and achievement are discussed in light of the learning task and academic context.

Assessing Teacher and Student Effects of the Research Goes to School Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kararo, Alex T.

There have been calls by the Federal government and policymakers for improvements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through the development of excellent teachers with the content knowledge and skills to teach and motivate students. A shared goal among teacher professional development (PD) programs is to improve students' learning outcomes through changes in teachers' classroom practices. One way to address classroom practice is by studying pedagogical content knowledge and skill (PCK&S), which is the way teachers incorporate both subject matter and teaching strategies to transform the way they teach content to support student learning. PCK&S includes the knowledge and planning as well as the act of teaching. The NSF-funded Research Goes to School (RGS) project sought to impact teachers' PCK&S through the introduction of a current scientific research topic simultaneously with an evidence-based teaching strategy. As part of the RGS project, high-school STEM teachers from Indiana applied to attend summer PD workshops. At these workshops, aspects of nanoscience taken from the Big Ideas of Nanoscale Science and Engineering book and project-based learning (PjBL) were taught. Nanoscience was chosen due to the rapid growth of this field and the call by scientists and policymakers for the development of standards and curricula focused on nanoscience within K-12 education. Introduction of fundamental nanoscience concepts can expose students to current research within what is considered the next industrial revolution. PjBL was chosen since within this teaching strategy, scientific processes are used to address unstructured authentic problems. As part of PjBL, the students are required to synthesize ideas, collect and analyze data, and work with peers to develop an answer to the authentic question. Teachers who attended the workshops developed a nanoscience-based PjBL unit that aligned with Indiana state standards and implemented these units in their classrooms the following school year. This dissertation involves an assessment of the implementation of these units using two observational protocols, one to provide a description of what occurred in each classroom and one to assess the quality of the implementation of components in each classroom. Interviews with the teachers were conducted to probe their PCK and how they incorporated the nanoscience material and PjBL teaching strategy into their units. Student learning gains were also assessed through a pre- and post-nanoscience-based content exam. This dissertation focuses on two components: (a) the PCK&S of the fourteen teacher participants and (b) nanoscience-related learning gains of students who participated in the nano-based PjBL units. Trends between these two components were also studied. This research has implications in the development of professional development experiences as well as support for STEM teachers when incorporating new subject matter and/or teaching strategies in their classrooms.

Using State Student Unit Record Data to Increase Community College Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewell, Peter; Jenkins, Davis

2008-01-01

This chapter examines lessons learned by states that are using student unit record (SUR) data to improve outcomes for community college students and recommends steps states can take to strengthen their use of SUR databases to benefit students and communities. (Contains 1 exhibit.)

United Arab Emirates University Students' Attitudes towards the Handicapped.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smadi, Ahmad A.; Sartawi, Abdel Aziz M.

1995-01-01

Analysis of scores of 313 students at the United Arab Emirates University on the College Students' Attitude Scale towards the Handicapped found significantly more positive attitudes by females versus males, single versus married students, residents versus nonresidents, families with children having disabilities, students having previous contact…

Indian medical students' views on immigration for training and practice.

PubMed

Rao, Nyapati R; Rao, Uttam K; Cooper, Richard A

2006-02-01

To assess the attitudes of medical students in India about participating in graduate medical education in the United States and other countries and in subsequent clinical practice in those countries. A total of 240 students who were attending their final year at two medical schools in Bangalore, India, were surveyed during 2004. Surveys were completed by 166 (69%) of the students. Among the responding students, 98 (59%) thought of leaving India for further training abroad. Of those who wished to leave, 41 (42%) preferred the United States, 42 (43%) preferred the United Kingdom, and 9 (9%) preferred Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Only two students preferred the Middle East. Most who favored training in the United States indicated that they intended to remain after training, whereas fewer than 20% of those who favored training in the United Kingdom had such intentions. While more than 60% perceived greater professional opportunities in the United States than in India, approximately 75% were concerned that the United States had become less welcoming after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and similar numbers were concerned about the examination administered by the Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates. Conversely, the majority of respondents felt that opportunities for physicians in India were improving. While optimism about future medical careers in India is increasing, the interest of Indian medical students in training and subsequently practicing in the United States remains high.

Advertisements Demand Sense.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clanton, Brandolyn; And Others

Self-contained units of study on advertising will help secondary students to critically analyze the utility, completeness, and accuracy of various sources of product information. In the first of five units, students are asked to think about the many benefits consumers and producers derive from advertising. The second unit makes students aware that…

Learn, Grow, Become. TSA Edition. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

This curriculum guide contains seven Technology Student Association (TSA) units of study for secondary students. The units focus on helping students to develop and apply social, civic, and technology-related skills and achieve course competencies in applied technology courses. Each of the instructional units includes some or all of the basic…

Mi-STAR Unit Challenges serve as a model for integrating earth science and systems thinking in a Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned curriculum.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gochis, E. E.; Tubman, S.; Matthys, T.; Bluth, G.; Oppliger, D.; Danhoff, B.; Huntoon, J. E.

2017-12-01

Michigan Science Teaching and Assessment Reform (Mi-STAR) is developing an NGSS-aligned middle school curriculum and associated teacher professional learning program in which science is taught and learned as an integrated body of knowledge that can be applied to address societal issues. With the generous support of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, Mi-STAR has released several pilot-tested units through the Mi-STAR curriculum portal at mi-star.mtu.edu. Each of these units focuses on an ongoing `Unit Challenge' investigation that integrates STEM content across disciplinary boundaries, stimulates interest, and engages students in using scientific practices to address 21st century challenges. Each Mi-STAR unit is connected to a Unifying NGSS Crosscutting Concept (CCC) that allows students to recognize the concepts that are related to the phenomena or problems under investigation. In the 6th grade, students begin with an exploration of the CCC Systems and System Models. Through repeated applications across units, students refine their understanding of what a system is and how to model a complex Earth system. An example 6th grade unit entitled "Water on the Move: The Water Cycle," provides an example of how Mi-STAR approaches the use of Unifying CCCs and Unit Challenges to enhance middle school students' understanding of the interconnections of Earth system processes and human activities. Throughout the unit, students use a series of hands-on explorations and simulations to explore the hydrologic cycle and how human activity can alter Earth systems. Students develop new knowledge through repeated interactions with the Unit Challenge, which requires development of system models and construction of evidence-based arguments related to flooding problems in a local community. Students have the opportunity to make predictions about how proposed land-use management practices (e.g. development of a skate-park, rain garden, soccer field, etc.) can alter the earth-system processes. Students present their findings and recommendations in a public forum format. Student-learning outcomes are measured using a combination of formative and summative assessments that address students' proficiency with science and engineering content and practices in conjunction with the unit's Unifying CCC.

Technology Integration in Science Education: A Study of How Teachers Use Modern Learning Technologies in Biology Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanakkan, Dionysius Joseph

This multiple case-study investigated how high school biology teachers used modern learning technologies (probes, interactive simulations and animations, animated videos) in their classrooms and why they used the learning technologies. Another objective of the study was to assess whether the use of learning technologies alleviated misconceptions in Biology documented by American Association for the Advancement of Science. The sample consisted of eight teachers: four rural public school teachers, two public selective enrollment school teachers, and two private school teachers. Each teacher was followed for two Units of instruction. Data collected included classroom observations, field notes, student assignments and tests, teacher interviews, and pre-and post-misconception assessments. Paired t-tests were done to analyze the pre-post test data at a significance level of 0.05 and the qualitative data was analyzed using the constant comparative method. Each case study was characterized and then a cross-case analyses was done to find common themes across the different cases. Teachers were found to use the learning technologies as a tool to supplement instruction to visualize abstract processes, collect data, and explore abstract concepts and processes. Teachers were found to situate learning, use scaffolding and questioning and make students work in collaborative groups. The genetics, photosynthesis, and evolution misconceptions were better alleviated than cellular respiration. Student work that was collected demonstrated a superficial understanding of the concepts under discussion even when they had misconceptions. The teachers used the learning technologies in their classrooms for a variety of reasons: visual illustrations, time-saving measure to collect data, best way to collect data, engaging and fun for students and the interactive nature of the visualization tools and models. The study's findings had many implications for research, professional development, teacher education, teaching practice, administrators, and learning technology developers. More detailed research within similar school settings (public, charter, and private) is needed to verify the common findings across the different cases in this study. An implication is that learning technology integration could be modeled with instructional scaffolds and questioning and incorporating higher order thinking tasks. Learning technology developers should consider the collaborative learning groups while developing these technologies.