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2008

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Curriculum and Instruction

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Educator Materials From The Zillman Art Museum, Zillman Art Museum Dec 2008

Educator Materials From The Zillman Art Museum, Zillman Art Museum

General University of Maine Publications

Educator materials and classroom activities from Zillman Art Museum including lessons for creating landscapes and portraits, and lessons in printmaking and watercolor painting. Lessons include Maine Learning Results information.


Teaching Happiness: The Role Of Positive Psychology In The Classroom, Jennifer M. Gilpin Dec 2008

Teaching Happiness: The Role Of Positive Psychology In The Classroom, Jennifer M. Gilpin

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Happiness can be defined in various ways, and characterizing traits that reflect sustained happiness in an individual can be a daunting task. For the purpose of this paper, I propose that contentment regarding the past, satisfaction in the present, optimism about the future, as well as cultivating individual strengths and virtues will result in sustained happiness. Using findings from and relating to the field of positive psychology, I will suggest that these qualities can be fostered in students and will benefit students individually and ultimately society as a whole.


A Jewel In Our Midst: A Photo Essay Of The Connecticut River, Nancy C. Balcom, Juliana Barrett Dec 2008

A Jewel In Our Midst: A Photo Essay Of The Connecticut River, Nancy C. Balcom, Juliana Barrett

Wrack Lines

Its unique tidal marshes, ecology, geology, scenic areas, and fascinating history make the Connecticut River a treasure to residents and visitors alike. It is one of the 1,713 “Wetlands of International Importance” designated throughout the world by the International Ramsar Convention. This photo essay also describes the education efforts underway by Connecticut Sea Grant and its partners to assist educators with resource materials.


The Relationship Between Ministry Praxis And Spiritual Development Milestones In The Lives Of Children, Leon Marcel Blanchette Jr. Dec 2008

The Relationship Between Ministry Praxis And Spiritual Development Milestones In The Lives Of Children, Leon Marcel Blanchette Jr.

Faculty Scholarship – Christian Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the children‘s ministry praxis in Nazarene churches and four significant spiritual milestones in the lives of Nazarene children. A mixed method study was used to obtain statistical, quantitative results from the population and then followed up with two small groups to explore those results in more depth through personal interviews. This study compares four quadrants of children’s spirituality, the Pragmatic-Participatory Model, Media-Driven Active-Engagement Model, Instructional-Analytic Model, and the Contemplative-Reflective Model. A quadrant is one of four categories that best describes a children‘s pastor‘s ministry praxis. These quadrants are sometimes …


The Academic Needs Of The Native Spanish-Speaking English Language Learner Under The No Child Left Behind Act (Nclb), Amy J. Whicker Nov 2008

The Academic Needs Of The Native Spanish-Speaking English Language Learner Under The No Child Left Behind Act (Nclb), Amy J. Whicker

Senior Honors Theses

The instructional demands and pressures placed on today’s educators are constantly increasing, influenced by national and state learning standards, assessments, and changing student demographics. More specifically, the standards of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) set by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) require academic gains to be made yearly by all students, including those with significant learning hurdles, such as the language acquisition difficulties faced by English Language Learners (ELLs). While the future of the NCLB Act is debatable, the necessity of effective classroom arrangements and instructional methods is indubitable. In addition, because the majority of this ELL population is …


Inside Unlv, Shane Bevell, Tony Allen, Karen Sharp, Mamie Peers, Cate Weeks Nov 2008

Inside Unlv, Shane Bevell, Tony Allen, Karen Sharp, Mamie Peers, Cate Weeks

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.


Teaching Tips: Personal Criminal History Analysis Paper, Gordon Crews, Angela Crews Nov 2008

Teaching Tips: Personal Criminal History Analysis Paper, Gordon Crews, Angela Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

Students often have difficulty visualizing the practical application of criminological theory. The following activity assists instructors to develop students‘ abilities in evaluating behaviors and determining the theoretical perspectives that potentially could be used to explain those behaviors. It also is designed to assist students in comprehending how their own experiences impact their views on law-violating behavior and its etiology. This exercise facilitates students‘ awareness of how their beliefs about the causes of law-violating behavior inevitably impact their beliefs about potential solutions or responses to this type of behavior. Eventually, students unfailingly begin to realize the artificial dichotomy between us, as …


Effect Of The 6+1 Trait Writing Model On Student Writing Achievement, Nancy Kay Dejarnette Nov 2008

Effect Of The 6+1 Trait Writing Model On Student Writing Achievement, Nancy Kay Dejarnette

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The focus of this study was to determine the difference between teaching the 6+1 Trait Writing Model to fifth graders and the traditional writing workshop method of teaching writing on overall student writing achievement according to the data supplied by a writing rubric. The study involved 8 classes of fifth graders in 2 different schools. One school provided instruction according to the 6+1 Trait Writing Model, and the other school provided instruction using the traditional writing workshop method of teaching writing. It was hypothesized that students receiving instruction using the 6+1 Trait Writing Model would exhibit greater gains in writing …


The Effect Of Graphic Organizers On The Academic Achievement Of High School Students In United States History Who Receive Instruction In A Blended, Computer-Based Learning Environment, George Kim Conley Nov 2008

The Effect Of Graphic Organizers On The Academic Achievement Of High School Students In United States History Who Receive Instruction In A Blended, Computer-Based Learning Environment, George Kim Conley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of graphic organizers on the academic achievement of high school students receiving instruction in United States History via an online blended learning environment. With 60 participants in the study, the students were equally divided into two groups of 30 participants each. Group I was designated as the treatment group, while Group II formed the control group. A two-tailed t-test was used to determine that the means of the two posttests were not significantly different at a probability level of .05. Therefore, the results of this research study indicated that high …


Improving The Self-Esteem Of At-Risk Youth, Gavrielle Levine, Deborah Majerovitz, Elizabeth Schnur, Charletta Robinson, Cadine Soman Oct 2008

Improving The Self-Esteem Of At-Risk Youth, Gavrielle Levine, Deborah Majerovitz, Elizabeth Schnur, Charletta Robinson, Cadine Soman

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

This study, which is part of a larger study, describes and evaluates a federally-funded (U.S. Administration for Children and Families, CBAE) program, RESOLVE, designed to increase self-esteem and encourage healthy life choices of at-risk youth. This program combines an educational component teaching healthy lifestyles, goal setting, and refusal skills to avoid unhealthy behaviors with a vocational training component. Preliminary data from post-test analysis show increased content knowledge and modest increases in self-esteem suggesting that this program is a promising way to reach a challenging population. It incorporates best practices in health education by taking a holistic approach and addressing physical …


Improving Automaticity With Basic Addition Facts: Do Taped Problems Work Faster Than Cover, Copy, Compare?, James Cressey, Kristin Ezbicki Oct 2008

Improving Automaticity With Basic Addition Facts: Do Taped Problems Work Faster Than Cover, Copy, Compare?, James Cressey, Kristin Ezbicki

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

This small pilot study compared the effectiveness of two interventions to improve automaticity with basic addition facts: Taped Problems (TP) and Cover, Copy, Compare (CCC), in students aged 6-10. Automaticity was measured using Mathematics Curriculum-Based Measurement (M-CBM) at pretest, after 10 days, and after 20 days of intervention. Our hypothesis was that the TP group will gain higher levels of automaticity more quickly than the CCC and control groups. However, when gain scores were compared, no significant differences were found between groups. Limitations to the study include low treatment integrity and a short duration of intervention.


A Case Study Of Teachers' Mathematics Content Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Mathematics And Teaching, Brian R. Evans Oct 2008

A Case Study Of Teachers' Mathematics Content Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Mathematics And Teaching, Brian R. Evans

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

This study intended to measure teacher mathematical content knowledge both before and after the first year of teaching and taking graduate teacher education courses in the Teach for America (TFA) program, as well as measure attitudes toward mathematics and teaching both before and after TFA teachers’ first year. There was a significant increase in both mathematical content knowledge and attitudes toward mathematics over the TFA teachers’ first year teaching. Additionally, several significant correlations were found between attitudes toward mathematics and content knowledge. Finally, after a year of teaching, TFA teachers had significantly better attitudes toward mathematics and teaching than neutral.


Rigorous Curriculum And Sat, Feifei Li, Thanos Patelis, Robert Lissitz Oct 2008

Rigorous Curriculum And Sat, Feifei Li, Thanos Patelis, Robert Lissitz

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

The main purposes of this study are to investigate the relation between course-taking pattern and the SAT score, and examine the invariance of this relation across subgroups. In addition, we are also going to verify the accuracy of self-reported information from the SAT Questionnaire by examining the actual high school transcripts, and build the link between SAT and the achievement by correlating SAT scores with state assessment scores. If the SAT score is a function of high school course-taking behaviors regardless of students' gender, socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnicity, every student should be provided with equal opportunity for rigorous curriculum.


Cognition And Student Learning Through The Arts, Steven A. Melnick, Judith T. Witmer, Martha J. Strickland Oct 2008

Cognition And Student Learning Through The Arts, Steven A. Melnick, Judith T. Witmer, Martha J. Strickland

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

An increasing number of recent research studies suggest connections between cognition, social and emotional development, and the arts. Some studies indicate that students in schools where the arts are an integral part of the academic program tend to do better in school than those students where that is not the case. This study examines home/school factors that contribute most to variance in student learning and achievement and the arts from over 8,000 students in grade 5. The findings suggest in-school arts programs may have less of an impact on student achievement than proposed by previous research.


Preservice, Secondary Social Studies Teachers' Perceptions Of Gender Equity, Margaret M. Monaghan Oct 2008

Preservice, Secondary Social Studies Teachers' Perceptions Of Gender Equity, Margaret M. Monaghan

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

This study examines preservice, social studies teachers’ perceptions of gender equity. The assumption that preservice teachers recognize gender as an important issue and are willing and able to take the initiative to remedy inequities in their classroom structures and content is considered. Six participants were interviewed using Seidman’s (2006) three-round, interview protocol. A focused life history was compiled to situate participants’ perceptions within their personal and professional experiences. Findings suggest a disconnect between preservice teachers' intentions and their practice in regards to gender equity. More explicit attention to gender equity in teacher education programs is recommended.


The Effect Of Direct Instruction Versus Discovery Learning On The Understanding Of Science Lessons By Second Grade Students, Marisa T. Cohen Oct 2008

The Effect Of Direct Instruction Versus Discovery Learning On The Understanding Of Science Lessons By Second Grade Students, Marisa T. Cohen

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

This study examined the effectiveness of discovery learning and direct instruction in a diverse second grade classroom. An assessment test and transfer task were given to students to examine which method of instruction enabled the students to grasp the content of a science lesson to a greater extent. Results demonstrated that students in the direct instruction group scored higher on the assessment test and completed the transfer task at a faster pace; however, this was not statistically significant. Results also suggest that a mixture of instructional styles would serve to effectively disseminate information, as well as motivate students to learn.


An Activity Theoretical Approach To Designing Curriculum And Instruction That Shift The Means And Ends Of History Education, Thomas H. Levine Oct 2008

An Activity Theoretical Approach To Designing Curriculum And Instruction That Shift The Means And Ends Of History Education, Thomas H. Levine

NERA Conference Proceedings 2008

Reformers want history education to help students learn to engage in historical inquiry, read critically across conflicting sources, and engage in civil discussion of controversial issues. How can we help teachers and students shift the roles, norms, and activity in history classrooms to achieve these aims? An activity-theoretical framework suggests the value of explicitly attending to multiple aspects of human activity when designing and presenting reform-oriented pedagogies or curricula. Such attention increases the odds that teachers who implement new approaches or curriculum will achieve significant shifts in the means and ends of history education.


Weaving The Curriculum Tapestry: Modifying Upper Level Courses To Facilitate Integration Across The Geology Program, Charles W. Carrigan, Priscilla Field Skalac Oct 2008

Weaving The Curriculum Tapestry: Modifying Upper Level Courses To Facilitate Integration Across The Geology Program, Charles W. Carrigan, Priscilla Field Skalac

Faculty Scholarship – Geology

Having observed students' frequent struggles to acquire mastery of content and skills in upper-level geology courses, we noted students fail to weave together the diverse strands that produce a well-educated geoscientist. After observing students’ struggles to keep up with new content and skills, we determined a course of action that includes application of best pedagogy based on educational research. We incorporate a technique of spiraling basic content and skills across the geology curriculum: content and skills introduced in the entry-level geology course are intentionally reviewed and referenced in each upper-level course.


Facilitating Integration Across The Geology Program: Applying "Weaving The Curriculum" To Petrology And Structural Geology Courses, Charles W. Carrigan, Priscilla Field Skalac Oct 2008

Facilitating Integration Across The Geology Program: Applying "Weaving The Curriculum" To Petrology And Structural Geology Courses, Charles W. Carrigan, Priscilla Field Skalac

Faculty Scholarship – Geology

Students often encounter difficulty with advanced material in upper-level geology courses. We identified several trends that arise at the beginning of upper-level courses including difficulty in connecting introductory course material to deeper content, integrating skills and knowledge from supporting courses, and integrating material between upper-level courses. Redesigning upper-level courses, we intentionally incorporate relevant material from introductory geoscience courses into upper-level courses, such that students are re-exposed to fundamental concepts they need to master as more advanced concepts are taught.


“Adolescent Literature And Second Life: Teaching Young Adult Texts In The Digital World”, Laura Nicosia Oct 2008

“Adolescent Literature And Second Life: Teaching Young Adult Texts In The Digital World”, Laura Nicosia

Department of English Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.


Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, Jennifer Vaughan Oct 2008

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, Jennifer Vaughan

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.


Unlv Magazine, Holly Ivy De Vore, Tony Allen, Barbara Cloud, Erin O'Donnell, Matthew K. Jacobsen, Gian Galassi, Michelle Mouton, Afsha Bawany, Shane Bevell Oct 2008

Unlv Magazine, Holly Ivy De Vore, Tony Allen, Barbara Cloud, Erin O'Donnell, Matthew K. Jacobsen, Gian Galassi, Michelle Mouton, Afsha Bawany, Shane Bevell

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.


Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite Oct 2008

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

K-12 Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors ( R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement ( R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge ( R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools ( R2 = 5%).


Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite Oct 2008

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

K-12 Education

No abstract provided.


Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite Oct 2008

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

Teacher Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge (R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools (R2 = 5%).


Study Of The Sustained Effects Of Reading Recovery In Iowa, Salli Forbes, Mike Szymczuk Oct 2008

Study Of The Sustained Effects Of Reading Recovery In Iowa, Salli Forbes, Mike Szymczuk

Curriculum & Instruction Faculty Publications

Each year 20% or more of students entering first-grade will have severe difficulty learning to read (Clay, 1993; Shaywitz, 2003). Longitudinal research suggests that children who are the lowest achievers in first grade will continue to be the lowest achievers throughout the elementary grades (Juel, 1988). Early intervention with high-quality one-to-one instruction is critical to change the course of learning failure for the lowest-performing children (Clay, 1993; Vellutino et al., 1996). In the United States, a larger percentage of the lowest-achieving children in first grade accelerate their learning and reach grade-level performance in reading and writing with Reading Recovery intervention.


Religion And Mythology In A Sample Of Undergraduate Psychology Of Women Courses, Christina J. Taylor, Rosemarie Galasso Oct 2008

Religion And Mythology In A Sample Of Undergraduate Psychology Of Women Courses, Christina J. Taylor, Rosemarie Galasso

Psychology Faculty Publications

The coverage of religion and mythology in undergraduate courses in the Psychology of Women was explored by (a) surveying a sample of undergraduate instructors (N=72); and (b) examining coverage in textbooks on the Psychology of Women (N=95). 48.6% of teachers said they include some coverage, while 43.1% said they never do. The total percentage of coverage in textbooks is small, ranging from a mean of 2.0% in the 1970s to 1.1% in the current decade.


Supporting Children's Participation In Second Language Stories In An Irish Language Preschool, Maire Mhic Mhathuna Oct 2008

Supporting Children's Participation In Second Language Stories In An Irish Language Preschool, Maire Mhic Mhathuna

Articles

This paper considers how children learning a second language were supported as active participants during storytelling sessions in an Irish-language immersion preschool in Dublin. Audio-recordings and observations were made of the story sessions once a fortnight over a period of six months. The resulting transcripts were analysed from an interactionist perspective, recognising both the cognitive and social aspects of the process. The staff were also interviewed and a questionnaire was completed by the parents. The analysis showed that the practitioners provided support for the children through dynamic repeated readings of target books, scaffolded interactions, sufficient experience of storybook reading and …


Using Virtual Worlds To Launch Ideas, Research And Teaching, Anne-Marie Armstrong, Darryl Shreve, Joshua Neds-Fox Oct 2008

Using Virtual Worlds To Launch Ideas, Research And Teaching, Anne-Marie Armstrong, Darryl Shreve, Joshua Neds-Fox

Library Scholarly Publications

Wayne State University’s Office for Teaching and Learning (OTL) co-hosted an all-day symposium called Virtual Citizenship. This symposium was part of an ongoing, multi-faceted study of the intersection between information technologies and the practice of citizenship. The OTL, with the help of the New Media Consortium, was able to provide the resources and technical knowledge needed to produce this forum while showcasing new technologies. Prominent speakers presented their views and research live in the university’s auditorium and simultaneously via video streams into Second Life and the university’s web site. This article describes the procedures leading up to the broadcast and …


Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, Michelle Mouton, Erin O'Donnell, Mamie Peers, Grace Russell, Deana Waddell Sep 2008

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, Michelle Mouton, Erin O'Donnell, Mamie Peers, Grace Russell, Deana Waddell

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.