Education Commons^™

Dna, Red Tide And The Sea: A New Exhibit At Mystic Aquarium & Ife, Margaret (Peg) A. Van_Patten

Wrack Lines

DNA, Red Tide and the Sea is a new exhibit at Mystic Aquarium & IFE. It was developed by UConn Marine Sciences Professor Senjie Lin, and Mystic Aquarium. Children can extract DNA from fruit and learn about genetic codes and red tides in the ocean.

School Of Medicine Academic Plan, 2009-2014

Annual Reports - Education

The University of Connecticut School of Medicine is the only public medical school in the state and one of only three public medical schools in the New England. Consequently, it plays a pivotal role in education, research, and healthcare delivery in both the state and the region. The primary mission of the School of Medicine is education at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels for practitioners, teachers, and researchers, conducted in an environment of exemplary patient care, research, and public service.

Undergraduate Engineering Students' Understanding Of Heat, Temperature, And Radiation, Katharyn E.K. Nottis, Michael Prince, Margot Vigeant, Sarah Nelson, Kathryn Hartsock

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Difficulty understanding heat and temperature concepts has been recognized in engineering education. Confusion has been shown to persist after instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine whether undergraduate engineering students’ knowledge of four heat transfer concept areas significantly changed with instruction and whether this varied by major and GPA. Two hundred twenty-eight undergraduate engineering students from six institutions were assessed prior to and after instruction. Results showed significant improvement in most concept areas but mean scores were below mastery. Previously documented misconceptions persisted after instruction. Significant differences were found by major and GPA. Suggestions for future research provided.

Developing A Scale To Assess Self-Efficacy For Response To Intervention Practices In Schools, Susan K. Barnes, Melinda S. Burchard

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Response to Intervention (RTI) is an educational model required by the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This multi-tiered approach integrates ongoing assessment of individual student progress with targeted instruction, a process previously reserved for students with special needs. Educators are required to use RTI to monitor all children, even those not identified for special services. Effective educators need training in selecting appropriate instruments and conducting accurate assessments. This presentation describes the development of a scale to measure self-efficacy of educators using RTI to better identify areas in which educators need additional support.

The Impact Of Tagging/Metadata Creation Exercises On College Freshmen’S Metacognitive Skills, Hilary Wilder

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Tagging is the process of specifying keywords, categories, and other identifying information for online informational and creative pieces such as photos, audio clips, video clips and text pages so that it can be searched for and located by others as well as semantically connected to similar objects on the Web. It was hypothesized that the repeated process of tagging objects and then receiving feedback from peers who try to use the tags to select the correct object as part of an online game-like activity would lead to improved epistemological skills.

High Stakes Testing Literature Review And Critique, Youness Elbousty

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Standardized testing has been long established in most of the schools in United States. States have attached "high stakes" to tests as a response to the federal law NCLB. Under this law, schools had to develop or alter their assessments which are administered to gauge school progress. While many agree that high‐stakes testing has an impact on students; studies have been conducted to vet whether such impact has propitious or harmful outcomes. In this paper, I review and critique the literature on high stakes testing coupled with a close scrutiny of the research methods utilized in the articles under review.

The New York City Teaching Fellows Program: A Case Study In Alternative Certification In Mathematics, Brian Evans

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

The purpose of this study is to understand the mathematical content knowledge new teachers have before and after taking a mathematics methods course in the New York City Teaching Fellows program. Further, the purpose is to understand attitudes toward mathematics Teaching Fellows have over the course of the semester. Findings revealed a significant increase in mathematical content knowledge and positive attitudes toward mathematics. Relationships were found between attitudes and self-efficacy. Finally, Teaching Fellows found that classroom management was the biggest issue in their teaching, and that problem solving and numeracy were the most important topics addressed in the methods course.

An International Professional Development Collaboration In Literacy Education, Miriam Pepper-Sanello, Adrienne Andi Sosin

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

An International Professional Development Collaboration in Literacy Education is a report of an international professional development project in Guatemala designed to improve literacy instructional practices and thereby raise student achievement in reading and writing. The opportunity for coaching Guatemalan teachers in teaching literacy strategies and skills provides data for this participatory action research study. This research is intended to contribute to cross-cultural understanding by graduate and undergraduate students in literacy, improved pedagogical techniques, international outreach in developing countries, and student academic success worldwide.

Validating The Instrument: Students' Perceptions On Learning Calculus, Su Liang

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate the instrument, Students’ Perceptions on Learning Calculus. The SPLC contains three scales and 31 items. The three scales include Usefulness of Calculus, Professor Efficacy, and Work Ethic. The surveys were given to the students who registered for Calculus I, Calculus II, and Business Calculus at Uconn in spring, 2009. 340 students completed the survey. An exploratory analysis was applied to validate the instrument. Using principal axis factoring with oblique rotation, the analysis suggests that 7 items should be dropped and that the remaining 24 items are best represented by the …

The Relationship Of Student Demographics To 10th Grade Mcas Test Anxiety, Peggy Mccaleb-Kahan, Rolfe Wenner

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

The intensification of consequential testing situations is associated with an increase in anxiety among American students (Casbarro, 2005). Test anxiety can have negative effects on student test performance (Everson, Millsap, & Rodriguez, 1991). If test anxiety has the potential to decrease students’ test scores, it becomes a factor that can threaten the validity of any inferences drawn between test scores and student progress (Cizek & Burg, 2006).

There are several factors that relate closely to test anxiety (Cizek & Burg, 2006). Variables of key influence include gender, socioeconomic status, and teacher-manifested anxiety (Hembree, 1988). Another influence upon test anxiety is …

Why & How Instructors Grade Participation In, Susan L. Rogers

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Although active engagement and participation in college courses has been shown to lead to increased learning (Weaver & Qi, 2005), instructors often struggle to get their students to participate more in class. This issue is sometimes addressed by including "participation" in grading criteria. The current study investigates this convention by identifying current instructor attitudes and practices towards grading student participation in undergraduate classrooms. To this end, a survey has been created and piloted amongst university instructors of varying disciplines. Data is presented in the context of current literature, and relationships between attitudes and practices in grading participation will be explored.

Surviving A Doctoral Program: Student Perspectives Of Support Services, Felice D. Billups, Stacey L. Kite

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

This sequential exploratory mixed method design sought to investigate doctoral student perspectives regarding support services that impede or assist in the completion of an Ed.D. program at a small, northeast university. First phase qualitative methods utilized focus groups to identify student opinions and recommendations regarding program improvements. Students emphasized the need for better pre-enrollment preparation, a comprehensive orientation & advising program, and ongoing academic support services through program completion (writing assistance, research skills development, mentoring). Tinto’s (1987) interaction theory provided the basis for this study, using his six transformative dimensions for growth and development to frame the findings.

The Homework Debate: How Much Homework Is Helpful For Students To Acquire Mathematical Procedural Knowledge?, Nicholas D. Hartlep, Jacqueline Gosz

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

The effects of using homework guides and homework logs on students’ abilities to solve word problems involving basic addition and subtraction facts were studied. Students received one of three versions of addition and subtraction timed tests once per week—every Friday—that focused on measuring automaticity of basic addition and subtraction facts. Thirty-one first-grade students participated in this action-research study. Students’ automaticity of basic addition and subtraction facts increased over the course of this study. Results indicated that homework guides positively affected student motivation to put forth more effort on homework. Additionally, word problems that involved basic subtraction facts appeared more difficult …

Behavioral And Academic Effects Of Skillstreaming The Adolescent For At-Risk Middle School Students, Amy Evans, Candice Stefanou

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Research links social skills deficits with academic failure. This study investigated whether socials skills training leads to improved social skills and academic achievement. Six middle school students, considered behaviorally at-risk, participated in a six-week social skills training intervention using Skillstreaming the Adolescent (Goldstein, McGinnis, Sprafkin, Gershaw, & Klein, 1997). Teacher and self-report measures and grades were collected at pre-intervention, mid, and end of intervention. Results showed significant differences in teacher ratings of the students’ cooperation but no achievement improvements. This study provides evidence that brief, targeted interventions may have positive effects on some aspects of social skills for at-risk students.

Examining The Challenges Of Teaching For Social Justice In Sarajevo, Brian Kirby Lanahan, Peter Mcdermott

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Social justice is a critical principle of democracy. Societies seeking to become democratic must infuse social justice issues into their schools. In this qualitative study the researchers examined the extent to which social justice is being taught in Sarajevo’s educational system. With only a few exceptions, the findings indicate that education in Sarajevo has not reformed since the 92-95 conflict. Instead, Sarajevo’s curriculum has become more fragmented and less multicultural, and its schools are not preparing children to think democratically and work for social justice. Unless educational reforms accelerate, there is a real danger that the country may return to …

Establishing A Professional Learning Community In A High School Setting, Youness Elbousty, Kirstin Bratt

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Although many teachers state their willingness to participate in efforts to establish a Professional Learning Community (PLC) in their schools, the reality is often that a great deal of internal resistance disrupts the creation of a collaborative effort. While teachers may understand that working in isolation, rarely collaborating or conferring about their students and teaching practices, may fall short of optimizing students' learning, and while they may be interested in collaborating with colleagues, our research demonstrates that collaborative efforts meet with a variety of challenges throughout the process.

The Relationship Of Self-Efficacy And Gpa, Attendance, And College Student Retention, Stephen P. Becker, Robert K. Gable

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

The study determined the extent and manner; self-efficacy explains variation in GPA, attendance, and retention. The General Self-Efficacy Scale was adapted with a sample of N = 194, 34% male and 66% female. General and Specific factors had alphas of .72 and .75, respectively. Step-wise regression demonstrated General self-efficacy incremented the explanation of GPA variance 5% (p < .01). GPA was significantly correlated with non-attendance (r = - .72, p < .01, d = large) and retention (r = .52, p < .01, d = large). Non-attendance significantly correlated with retention (r = -.39, p < .01, d = medium).

Parallel Reflections: The Interdisciplinary Process Of Co-Constructing Meaning, Martha J. Strickland, Jane B. Keat, Jane M. Wilburne, Beatrice Adera

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

This paper reports the results of a study conducted by four teacher educators who represent four disciplines in education. The purpose was to understand how pre-service teacher reflections influenced teacher educator reflections within a course. Data collection methods included narrative and document review. Data analysis methods included multiple readings and discussions of individual portraits in search of answers to research questions. Findings include a parallel reflection model that illustrates a dynamic process that occurs within the dialogic space as student and professor thoughts and discourse are interwoven to make theory to practice connections, co-construct new knowledge and begin challenging existing …

Financial Planning For College: What Parents Do To Prepare, Catherine A. Manly, Ryan S. Wells

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

This study explores reported parental financial college preparations and the amount parents have saved for college, with a goal of determining strategies used by different parents based on parental college aspirations and expectations for their child, as well as the highest reported parental and grandparental educational levels. Regression analysis indicates that parents' expectations, but not their aspirations, correspond to engagement in financial planning. Family education is strongly associated with taking some financial planning actions and the amount saved. The results may be helpful to those who are working to increase the effectiveness of disseminating college financial information to parents.

A Researcher's Dilemma: A Comparison Of Estimated Versus Actual College G.P.A., William E. Herman, Gena C. Nelson

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

This study compared college student reported grade point average (GPA) with actual GPA as recorded at the Registrar’s Office to determine the accuracy of student reported GPA. Results indicated that, on average, students reported slightly higher GPA than their actual GPA. Additionally, females were virtually as accurate as males and students with high GPA’s were more accurate than students with lower GPA’s. Since 17% of unexplained variance in actual GPA was found based upon student GPA estimates, the findings support the recommendation that researchers employ the actual GPA recorded in the Registrar’s Office whenever possible and feasible.

Who Drops Out? A Study Of Secondary School Dropouts In Connecticut, Xing Liu, Y.H. Alison Zhou

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationships between the dropout pattern and student characteristics such as gender, ethnicity and grade level among exited students from grade 7 to grade 12. The study included 57,709 students from grades 7-12 in the 2006-2007 school year in Connecticut. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine demographic factors related to student dropout pattern. This study provides empirical evidence of identifying secondary school students in Connecticut who were more likely to drop out. Identifying the groups of high risk students would help practitioners and policy makers to develop prevention programs or …

Are Today's General Education Teachers Prepared To Meet The Needs Of Their Inclusive Students?, Kate Rosenzweig

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

As a result of a push towards inclusion in recent years, Brownell et al. (2006) shows how general education teachers "play a primary role in the education of students with disabilities...[but] often they report feeling unprepared to undertake this role," (p. 171). This is true for not only current general education teachers who are experiencing first-hand the changes that are occurring throughout the national education system, but even pre-service teachers who are in the process of completing their masters program still believe that they are not learning the skills needed to successfully teach in today's classroom environment. This paper researches …

Validation Of A Reader Self Perception Scale (Rsps2) For Use In Grades 7 And Above, Steven A. Melnick, William A. Henk, Barbara A. Marinak

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Clearly, the attitudes, values, expectations, and beliefs that individuals possess about literacy will play a vital role in shaping their engagement with reading, writing, and other language processes. Grounded in Self-Efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1977, 1982; Schunk, 1984), the Reader Self Perception Scale Version 2 predicts that students take four basic factors into account when forming literacy self-perceptions: Progress, Observational Comparisons, Social Feedback, and Physiological States. Student response data (n=3,031 in grades 7-10) provides evidence of construct validity through a principal components analysis of the factor structure. Alpha reliabilities by factor are reported.

Encouraging Healthy Lifestyle Choices Among At-Risk Youth: The Resolve Program, Gavrielle Levine, Deborah Majerovitz, Elizabeth Schnur, Charletta Robinson, Cadine Soman

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

This study describes results for the second year of RESOLVE, a federally-funded (U.S. Administration for Children and Families, CBAE) program designed to teach healthy lifestyles, goal setting, refusal skills, and abstinence education to at-risk youth that was developed and implemented by the Jewish Child Care Association. These data examine changes in content knowledge, self-esteem, attitudes and intentions regarding pre-marital sexual behavior from pre- to post-test, as well as self-report data on actual sexual activity. Results for the 303 youth who completed the program indicate positive changes in content-knowledge, attitudes and intentions regarding sexual behavior. Qualitative results highlight the importance of …

The Black-White Achievement Gap Amongst Struggling Readers: A Case Study Of Early Intervention Outcomes In Massachusetts, Emily Dexter, Jessica Simon

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

A number of analyses of large data sets have suggested that the reading achievement gap between African American and White U.S. is negligible or small at school entry, but widens substantially during the school years because African American students show slower rates of growth in elementary and secondary school. Identifying when and why gaps occur, therefore, is a an important research endeavor. In addition, being able to predict which African American children are most likely to fall behind can contribute to efforts to close the achievement gap. This paper analyzes first grade and third grade data on African American and …

How Qualified Are You And How Long Will You Stay?: An Exploratory Study Of Novice Teachers' Perceptions Of Preparation, Inducation And Attrition, Maria Boeke Mongillo

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Preparing high quality teachers is important for solving the problem of teacher attrition. Attrition occurs earlier and with more frequency in teaching than in any other field. Higher quality teachers, who are better prepared to handle the realities of the classroom and perceive greater levels of efficacy, are more likely to remain in the field. This qualitative study explored five novice teachers' perceptions of the roles their preparation and induction programs played in developing their content knowledge, skills, dispositions, and efficacy. Findings highlight the importance of linking coursework to practice, training in planning and reflection, and collaborating with veteran teachers.

Community Needs Assessment Of Native Americans And One Year Follow-Up Evaluation, Chung-Fan Ni, Felicia Wilkins-Turner, Valerie Ellien, Corinne Harrington, Diane E. Liebert

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Using participatory action research, Native American research technicians conducted screening interviews to identify tribal members with disabilities and community needs. Participants received a Resource Guide manual at the conclusion of the community needs assessment, and were encouraged to contact appropriate health care agencies for services. The results of needs assessment include the incidence of disability, major types of disabilities, limitations and needs, employment status, and consumer concerns and barriers for Native Americans with disabilities. Also one year follow-up evaluation is discussed regarding the improvement on knowledge about resources for people with disabilities

Flame Or Fizzle? A Comparative Case Study Of The Sparc Experience, Cynthia Bushey

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Social Perceiving-Acting Reciprocal Conversations (SPARC) is an emerging approach to large group discussions. SPARC utilizes an iterative approach to group discussions by nesting small fishbowl discussions within a larger whole group discussion. Theoretically, this structure affords reciprocal participant interactions for the negotiation of meaning and increased depth of inquiry. This study takes a detailed look at the experiences of three undergraduates who participated in SPARC during an Educational Psychology course for non-education majors at a large university in the Northeastern United States. Luke, Esmeralda, and Diane participated in SPARC eleven times between January and May.

Kindling Sparc: The Emergence Of Social Perceiving-Acting Reciprocal Conversations, Cynthia Bushey

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Based on an ecological theory of knowing (see Barab & Plucker, 2002; Barab & Roth, 2006; Gibson, 1986; Young, 2004), Social Perceiving-Acting Reciprocal Conversations (SPARC) is an emerging discussion approach designed to tune agents’ perceptions to the affordances of discussion interactions and to develop their effectivities to act on these affordances. This paper discusses the creation and subsequent iterations of SPARC that emerged in my undergraduate Educational Psychology class between January and May of 2009. Educational implications and future research directions are discussed.

From Concrete To Abstract: Teaching For Transfer Of Learning When Using Manipulatives, Penina Kamina, Nithya N. Iyer

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

One of the most important uses of manipulatives in a classroom is to aid a learner to make connection from tangible concrete object to its abstraction. In this paper we discuss how teacher educators can foster deeper understanding of how manipulatives facilitate student learning of math concepts by emphasizing the connection between concrete objects and math symbolization with, preservice elementary teachers, the future implementers of knowledge. We provide an example and a model, with specific steps of how teacher educators can effectively demonstrate connections between concrete objects and abstract math concepts.