Education Commons^™

Developing, Implementing, And Evaluating A No-Child-Left-Inside Pilot Program, Claudia Radel, Jamie C. Brand, Roslynn Brain

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

We describe experience with a pilot week-long, No-Child-Left-Inside (NCLI), outdoor program implemented in Cache Valley, Utah, in 2012. Through response analysis of a “pre-then-post” children's survey and a parent-completed demographic survey, we assess program effectiveness in raising children's enthusiasm for nature-related behaviors and in reaching a target audience of all local families. The program reached many families with low participation in other conservation programs but failed to reach families from the growing Latino population. Participating children experienced increased excitement to spend more time outdoors exploring and learning, accomplishing NCLI goals of laying a groundwork for children's enhanced environmental literacy.

The Impact Of Acute Bouts Of Two Types Of Physical Activity On Cognition In Elementary School-Aged Children, Aslynn Courtney Halvorson

Masters Theses

Purpose: To determine the effect of acute bouts of two types of physical activity on cognition in elementary school-aged children. Methods: Subjects were 21 6-11 year old children (8.8 ± 1.6 years) who were free of any cognitive or learning disabilities or delays. Children participated in three randomly ordered conditions. The control condition included watching 20 minutes of TV while seated, the cycle condition included 20 minutes of cycling on a pediatric cycle ergometer at 60% of estimated heart rate maximum, and the play condition include 20 minutes of semistructured free play activity. After each condition, the children completed 2 …

A Suryey Of Music Therapists' Use Of Music To Facilitate Reading Development In Children, Cynthia Cross

Masters Theses

This study utilized Naturalistic Inquiry methods to investigate how music therapists use music elements to impact reading development in school-aged children. Eleven Board-Certified Music Therapists were interviewed providing information regarding music therapy interventions, reading skills targeted, theoretical influences, and professional influences. Transcripts of interviews were analyzedto determine themes, coÍtmon use of language related to the subject, common perceptions, and techniques and uses for music to impact reading development. In general subjects did not report specifically using music elements to target reading behavior. Rather, most subjects identified reading objectives determined by classroom teachers and developed music interventions to accommodate those objectives. …

Development Of The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-Sea), Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Jacqueline P. Kelleher

Jacqueline Kelleher

The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-SEA) allows teachers to examine the sensory aspects of classroom tasks and environments. The purpose is to assist in determining ways to modify tasks and environments to improve engagement and reduce problem behaviors in elementary school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Cinekyd: Exploring The Origins Of Youth Media Production, Renee Hobbs, David Cooper Moore

Journal of Media Literacy Education

No abstract provided.

The Big Fish Strikes Again But In A Different Place: Social Comparison Theory And Children With Special Needs, Roselyn May Dixon, Marjorie Seaton, Robert John Dixon

Rose Dixon

This paper will address the implications of Big-Fish Little Pond Effect (BFLPE) and social comparison theory and school placement of students with special needs. It made use of the PISA data base to determine if type of educational placement had an impact on the academic self-concept with children with special needs. Multiple regression techniques were used to delineate the relationships.

Every Face Has A Place: Disability, Mental Health And Kidsmatter, Katherine Dix

Dr Katherine Dix

Raising Their Children, Janelle R. Thompson

Student Publications

This personal essay depicts the story of an after school program established in the heart of a low-income neighborhood. It details the struggle the local children face in their failing schools district, and shows how the program, known as Little Wise Child, has been instrumental in making a positive difference in their lives.

Correlating The Developmental Test Of Visual Perception -2 (Dtvp And The Test Of Visual Perceptual Skills - Revised (Tvps-R) As Assesssment Tools For Learners With Learning Difficulties, Janet Richmond, K Holland

Janet E Richmond PhD

Learners are often referred to occupational therapists to assess their visual perceptual functioning. It is, therefore, imperative that the occupational therapists use the best assessment tools to obtain accurate and reliable results that lead to effective intervention which will be noticeable in the classroom functioning of these learners. A study was therefore conducted which correlated the results of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (second edition) (DTVP-2) and the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills Revised (TVPS-R) in a cohort of 173 learners from Grade 1 to Grade 4 (children aged 6 years to 11 years). The learners attend a remedial …

Computer Game Design And The Imaginative Play Of Young Children, Irina M. Verenikina, Jan Herrington

I. Verenikina

This paper discusses preliminary findings of the study of computer game design in relation to current understanding of imaginative play and its developmental value for young children. The crucial role of children's play in their development is well documented. A number of criteria, which are essential in building a foundation for children's cognitive development in play, were identified based on a literature review of the theoretical and empirical studies of child's play. The identified criteria were utilized to observe two young children playing various types of computer games to explore the opportunities that the games provide for imaginative play in …

The Affordances And Limitations Of Computers For Play In Early Childhood, I. Verenikina, J. Herrington, R. Peterson, Jessica Mantei

I. Verenikina

The widespread proliferation of computer games for children as young as 6 months of age, merits a re-examination of their manner of use and their facility to provide opportunities for developmental play. This paper describes a research study conducted to explore the use of computer games by young children, specifically to investigate the affordances and limitations of such games and the features of children’s traditional play that can be supported and further enhanced by different kinds of computer play. Computer games were classified and selected according to game characteristics that support higher order thinking. Children aged 5 and 7 were …

Standards For Educational, Edutainment, And Developmentally Beneficial Computer Games, R. Peterson, I. Verenikina, J. Herrington

I. Verenikina

The results of a comprehensive review of the body of research concerning the developmental and educational value of computer gaming for children is reported. Based on the review, design criteria are proposed for educational and edutainment computer games. In addition, a hierarchy of educational, edutainment, and entertainment game categories is introduced. It is argued that a standard educational labeling system is needed to assist parents and teachers with selecting computer games. A gap in the research is highlighted with regard to the affordances of computer games to facilitate the development of young children’s higher order thinking. It is recommended that …

Antenatal Anxiety Predicting Child Outcomes In Fragile X Syndrome, Ashley Nicole Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

A relationship between maternal anxiety during pregnancy, known as antenatal anxiety, and negative child outcomes has been consistently shown in the literature. Children of mothers who experienced antenatal anxiety have higher rates of physical, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional deficits compared to children whose mothers did not experience clinical levels of anxiety during pregnancy. To date, research on antenatal anxiety and child outcomes is almost exclusively limited to non-clinical populations. Therefore, little is known about the relationship between maternal anxiety during pregnancy and suboptimal cognitive and behavioral development in children with disabilities. Families with fragile X syndrome (FXS) are a unique …

Disability And Children’S Mental Health Through The Kidsmatter Lens, Katherine Dix, Paul Cahalan

Dr Katherine Dix

How Can You Recognize Success? Individual Responses To Food System Policy Aimed At Children, Erin Roche, David Connor, Jane Kolodinsky

Food Systems Summit 2014

Farm-to-school (FTS) programs and similar programs are gaining attention for many reasons, one of which is the recognition that they could help stem the increase in childhood overweight and obesity. Most programs that have been evaluated have increased students' selection or intake of fruits and vegetables following the incorporation of FTS components. However, the wide range of activities that are typically part of FTS programs make it difficult to pinpoint which components have the greatest potential to improve students' health behaviors. Within the field of nutrition education, theory-based interventions that target the key underlying factors influencing health behavior offer the …

Humor In Literature About Children With Disability: What Are We Seeing In This Literature?, Ewa Mcgrail, Alicja Rieger

Middle and Secondary Education Faculty Publications

Humor is part of the daily life of people with a disability, yet research on humor and literature about children with disability is limited. This article explores instances of humor in such literature. The prevalent message in the books reviewed is that children with disability not only appreciate humor but also can produce various types of humor. The article offers ways to help children and adolescents build an authentic understanding of disability and disability humor.

Ethiopia: Rebuilding Education, Layer By Layer, Lee Nave

Lee Nave Jr.

The school system of Ethiopia is growing at levels that were unimaginable thirty years ago. About thirty years ago, the entire country had only two universities; now there are over thirty. Also the Ethiopian government has made education a right not a privilege for its entire population. This includes female students and some of the poorest of the poor being able to attend school all the way from the Kindergarten level well into college.

Towards The Acwp Questionnaire : The Australian Child Wellbeing Project : Final Phase Two Report, Petra Lietz, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Alice Mcentee, Gerry Redmond

Wellbeing

This is the Phase Two report of the Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) which is a child-centred study that started with young people’s perspectives to design a major nationally representative survey of wellbeing among 8 - 14 year olds. The survey will benchmark child wellbeing in Australia and provide information that contributes to the development of effective services for young people’s healthy development. This document reports on Phase Two of the project: development of the wellbeing indicators. The development of indicators was informed by the findings of the first qualitative phase of the project, a review of literature and existing …

The Acwp Questionnaire : Results Of The Field Trial : The Australian Child Wellbeing Project : Draft Phase Three Report, Petra Lietz, Elizabeth O'Grady, Mollie Tobin, Helen Popple, Myra Hamilton, Gerry Redmond

Wellbeing

This is the Phase Three report of the Australian Child Wellbeing Project (ACWP) which is a child-centred study that started with young people’s perspectives to design a major nationally representative survey of wellbeing among 8-14 year olds. The Phase three report describes and presents analysis on the field trial of the ACWP survey which occurred in ten schools in New South Wales and Victoria in March 2014. The chapters in this report cover: sample characteristics and missing data analysis, descriptive and frequency analysis, factor and reliability analysis, examination of specific questions or items and question order, measuring affluence deprivation, inserting …

Toys Don't Have A Gender: Gender Play And Aggression In A Small Co-Operative Play Based Preschool, Bryn Peterson

Honors Theses

In this thesis I explore the relationship between gender and free-play in a small, cooperative preschool in Niskayuna, New York. While psychologists and sociologists have studied gender in young children, I found that children had been largely overlooked in the field of anthropology. While some anthropologists have historically believed that children do not fully understand their culture and cannot be reliable informants, I believe that there is much we can learn by understanding children's games - which often reflect our culture. Through observing children's free play I was able to analyze gender conforming/nonconforming play, aggression, and the themes of the …

Teacher Perception Of Social/Emotional Skills Of Preschool Children And The Relationship To Common Core Standards, A. Mi'kel Price

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Sampson is a 4-year-old preschooler. It is difficult for him to make friends, understand simple social settings, and interact with peers. He struggles to interpret incoming contextual information (such as talking to a peer about the blocks they are playing with), has difficulty comprehending non-literal/figurative expressions (such as jokes and irony), and implicit messages (such as when a child does not want to play with him). Sampson’s difficulties increase his risk of social isolation and lower self-esteem.

This vignette offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by children with low social/emotional skills. The social use of language, often referred to …

Picture Books And Literacy Development For Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Lichelle Slater

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In the past decade, research has focused on children’s literature and how it can facilitate literacy development (LaCour, McDonald, Tissington, Thomason, 2013; Lee, 2010). Although current research has identified the importance of age-appropriate literacy development for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), few studies have explored the character representations depicted in current picture books, and their cultural and individual impact on children who are DHH. To gain a better understanding of the availability of books in which deafness or hearing loss is addressed, or books in which children who are DHH are featured characters, a search of …

The Mainstream Kindergarten Teacher's Perspective Of Pragmatic Skills Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Aligned With Common Core Standards, Marianne Ingram Huish

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Pragmatics, or social/emotional skills are learned early in life by most typically developing children (DeLuzio, Girolametto, 2011). According to the American SpeechLanguage-Hearing Association (ASHA), social/emotional skills involve three major communication strategies. These include 1) using language for different purposes such as greeting, informing, requesting, 2) changing language depending on the relationship with the listener, and 3) following conversational and storytelling rules such as taking turns in conversation, staying on topic, using non-verbal signals, and maintaining appropriate body position and eye contact (ASHA, 2013). Social/emotional skills among children entering into the mainstream kindergarten setting, according to early childhood core state standards, …

Bridging Music And The Early Childhood Curriculum In Listening And Spoken Language Programs For Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Whitney Wright

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Music is an integral aspect of human life. Its impact weaves through arts, culture, communication, recreation, and education. In addition to benefits of enjoyment and entertainment, music is a vital component of early childhood educational settings. Educators routinely utilize music as an embedded component of instruction to meet both group and individual needs of young children in early childhood classrooms. In fact, specialized musical instruction can be particularly beneficial for children with disabilities, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) (Gfeller, Driscoll, Kenworthy, & Van Voorst, 2011). Children who are DHH are at significant risk for speech, …

The Relationship Between Education, Self-Efficacy, And Aggregate Physical Fitness In Children, Richard Bomgardner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to test the hypothesis that educational environment and level of physical activity self-efficacy relates to aggregate physical fitness levels in fifth-grade children in a Midwestern metropolitan community. Religious and public school children (N = 184) completed physical activity self-efficacy measures to examine their exercise and barrier status. These scores were compared to a FitnessGram® battery of physical fitness tests involving body composition, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, and aerobic capacity to measure their total fitness levels. FitnessGram® scores were converted into a composite score measuring their healthy fitness zone status. Multiple Linear Regressions …

Examination Of Different Accelerometer Cut-Points For Assessing Sedentary Behaviors In Children, Youngwon Kim, Jung-Min Lee, Bradley P. Peters, Glenn A. Gaesser, Gregory J. Welk

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background: Public health research on sedentary behavior (SB) in youth has heavily relied on accelerometers. However, ithas been limited by the lack of consensus on the most accurate accelerometer cut-points as well as by unknown effectscaused by accelerometer position (wrist vs. hip) and output (single axis vs. multiple axes). The present study systematicallyevaluates classification accuracy of different Actigraph cut-points for classifying SB using hip and wrist-worn monitors andestablishes new cut-points to enable use of the 3-dimensional vector magnitude data (for both hip and wrist placement).
Methods: A total of 125 children ages 7–13 yrs performed 12 randomly selected …

Development Of The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-Sea), Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Jacqueline P. Kelleher

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-SEA) allows teachers to examine the sensory aspects of classroom tasks and environments. The purpose is to assist in determining ways to modify tasks and environments to improve engagement and reduce problem behaviors in elementary school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Massachusetts Hospital School Program Evaluation Enhancing Transition To The Community, Russell Schutt

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Throughout the years, MHS has responded to the changing medical needs of children and young adults in MA and continues to be a model program nationally. Currently, MHS educates approximately 87 students from 58 MA communities. Since 2003, about 10-17 students have graduated each year. At age 22, young adults with disabilities transition from students to emergent adults living in the community. Students graduating from the Massachusetts Hospital School (MHS) are faced with opportunities and choices with respect to how and where they will live, work, study, socialize and receive ongoing medical care. In order to understand how well current …

The "Rap" On Reading Comprehension, Jessica Hagaman, Robert Reid, Kati Luschen

Robert Reid

Reading problems are one of the most frequent reasons students are referred for special education services and the disparity between students with reading difficulties and those who read successfully appears to be increasing. As a result, there is now an emphasis on early intervention programs such as RTI. In many cases, early intervention in reading instruction focuses primarily on foundational reading skills, such as decoding. However, with much of the focus on fluency, reading comprehension may be overlooked. How can special educators implement an effective reading comprehension strategy with young students who exhibit reading comprehension problems? The authors taught the …

The Annual Status Of Education Report Survey: Monitoring Learning Levels Of Children In Rural India, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Assessment GEMS

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) survey is a household-based survey of school-aged children in all rural districts in India. It is the only annual survey that yields data on children’s basic learning levels in this country. It evolved out of the work of a non-governmental organisation called Pratham. The ASER survey aims to obtain reliable, district-level estimates of the status of rural children’s school enrolment and skills in reading and arithmetic, and to measure the change in these estimates over time.