Digital Commons Network^™

Education For A Global Future Conference Program

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

Conference schedule

Making It Click: Using An Audience Response System To Engage Students And Assess Learning, Ann Marie Smeraldi

Michael Schwartz Library Publications

As accessibility to technology in the classroom increases and promises to improve student engagement and performance, it is easy to be tempted into using wikis, blogs and clickers without fully understanding the implications of their use. Librarians and other educators continuously experiment with new technologies in an attempt to lure Millennials away from their iPods and cell phones, but without careful consideration of the pedagogy that supports the use of these new technologies, their effectiveness as learning tools is diminished. This session will focus on the use of an audience response system (“clickers”) to engage students in active learning during …

You Are What You Eat: Healthy Practice For Young Children, Vikki K. Collins, Sallie A. Miller, H Marguerite Yates

Perspectives In Learning

All young children can benefit from proper nutrition and physical activity. Because children spend so much time in schools, teachers can play important roles in educating children about nutrition, dietary behavior, and physical activity to foster their optimal growth and health. Eating healthy, nourishing food fosters physical growth, enhances emotional stability, and improves school performance. By planning and implementing developmentally appropriate integrated lessons, teachers can help promote healthy practice for young children.

Bridging Policy And Education: How Elementary Students Are Impacted By Reform Efforts, Kristen E. Bunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on how state policies that encourage school reform impact student experience. The paper demonstrates what students in these reformed schools experience and what lessons we can learn from their experiences. In particular, the research focuses on engagement levels and the matching of intentions to student propensities. A goal of the paper is to help bridge the policy and educational worlds by shedding light on what is happening in four school-of-choice classrooms.

A mixed methodology is used; data from an Educational Connoisseurship and Criticism, an engagement measure, and interviews are triangulated. The research was conducted at two school-of-choice …

Constructing And Using Case Studies In Genetics To Engage Students In Active Learning, Sue Styer

Faculty Publications & Research

One of the national goals in science education is to teach science in a way that mirrors the process of science as inquiry, described by the National Science Education Standards (NSES) Science Teaching Standard B and Content Standard A (NRC, 1996). Inquiry-based learning, including the use of case studies, is one of several types of active learning that allows students to experience critical thinking skills inherent in the science process (Handelsman et al., 2007). Using case studies also develops skills in group learning and personalizes and humanizes science, making it more relevant to students (National Center for Case Study Teaching …

Exploring Social Studies Through Multicultural Literature: Legend Of The St. Ann’S Flood, Sara Winstead Fry

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

The search for literature that is high quality, high interest, written at age-appropriate levels for adolescent readers, addresses social studies topics, and presents multicultural perspectives can be daunting. Legend of the St Ann’s Flood is a novel that meets all of these goals. Its setting in Trinidad and Tobago provides the opportunity for students to learn about a country and region that are frequently overlooked in social studies curriculum in the United States. This article provides historical and cultural background information about Trinidad and Tobago, an overview of the novel, and specific teaching suggestions that integrate reading and writing into …

In Defense Of Playfulness, Peter J. Nelsen

Occasional Paper Series

Nelsen argues that the loss of play has unwittingly provoked a loss of critical thinking and civic engagement.

Multiple-Choice Testing In Science And Technology Courses, Carl W. David

Chemistry Education Materials

Wide spread and continuing use of multiple-choice testing in technical subjects is leading to a mindset amongst students which is antithetical with actual use of intellect.

The Impact Of Collective Teacher Efficacy On Student Achievement In High School Science, Mark W. Burcham

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact of collective teacher efficacy on high school science achievement by looking at relationships among collective teacher efficacy, its two constructs, group competence and group task analysis, and high school science achievement scores at four rural high schools in Northwestern North Carolina.

The researcher gathered historical test data from the testing coordinator from the school system and then administered the Collective Teacher Efficacy Instrument, developed by Goddard, Hoy, and Woolfolk Hoy (2000), to 24 science teachers from the four high schools. Using this information, the researcher conducted statistical analyses to determine the relationships …

Southern Adventist University Graduate Catalog 2009-2010, Southern Adventist University

Catalog, Graduate

Southern Adventist University's graduate catalog for the academic year 2009-2010.

Southern Adventist University Undergraduate Catalog 2009-2010, Southern Adventist University

Catalog, Undergraduate

Southern Adventist University's undergraduate catalog for the academic year 2009-2010.

Effective Inclusion Practices, M. Alyssa Barnes Ph.D.

Electronic Journal for Inclusive Education

This study examines effective instructional practices, which support the inclusion of students with special needs. Eight teacher and administrator participants completed interviews about their experiences working in a full-inclusion environment. In addition, the research includes narratives based on observations from the school. The findings summarize five practices essential in successful inclusive environments. These strategies include assessing the whole child, performance-based assessments, and use of visuals, specifically graphic organizers, and collaboration. Finally, the data demonstrate the idea that all of these practices benefit students with and without disabilities.

Bridging The Gap Between Real World Polar Science And The Classroom, William Robertson, Vanessa Lougheed, Craig Tweedie, Aaron Velasco, Claudia Garcia

Selected Works Temporary Series

The International Polar Year - Research and Educational Opportunities in Antarctica for Minorities (IPY-ROAM) program was designed to increase minority participation in polar science by immersing participants in an academic program that included a trip to Antarctica. The IPY-ROAM program was focused on increasing the public understanding of the Polar Regions and stimulating a new interest in polar science. This effort was coordinated by faculty from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and was implemented to positively contribute to the intense, internationally coordinated IPY scientific campaign. Through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), a team of …

Dr. Skateboard’S Action Science: Transforming Science Education For Middle School Students, William Robertson

Selected Works Temporary Series

The main objective of this article is to describe an example of unique and creative classroom materials that are built around a real world interest of Middle School students. Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science is a curriculum supplement that integrates both skateboarding and BMX. As an example of transformative education, it is built around student interests with a direct link to specific science knowledge and skills that need to be learned. It incorporates a four part video series and twenty classroom activities for students and teachers to use in the classroom. The video and classroom materials focus on the physical science …

Skateboard: Ciencia De Acción De Doctor Skateboard: Educacion Transformativa En Física, William Robertson

Selected Works Temporary Series

This article, written in Spanish, describes a transformative process for teaching physics in the middle school science classroom through an analysis of the use of Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science. Additionally, the article attempts to bridge efforts in the US, specifically in El Paso, Texas to opportunities that exist in Spanish speaking countries, including Mexico and Chile. The provided abstracts, in Spanish and English, describe how “action science” can be used in presenting fundamental science concepts and that this approach can be expanded from Middle schools to high schools and universities. Action science is an active learning methodology for teaching physics …

Bridgewater State College Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2009-2010, Bridgewater State College

Bridgewater State College Catalogs, 1960-2009

No abstract provided.

Using Rubrics To Teach Science Writing, Paul E. Bennett Jr.

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: Archives

An often-stated goal of education in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields is to teach students to communicate like professionals. In the STEM fields, the single most important thing we can do to teach our students better communication skills is to teach them how to write a lab report. The reason a lab report is so important is not just because it is the end product of a research project, but because each section of a lab report has a particular function that often correlates with different types of communication that a STEM professional needs to use. For …

Student Inquiry And Research: Developing Students' Authentic Inquiry Skills, Judith A. Scheppler, Susan Styer, Don Dosch, Joseph Traina, Christopher Kolar

Faculty Publications & Research

Established by the state of Illinois in 1985 to develop talent and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) has become an internationally recognized educational learning laboratory that inspires, challenges, and nurtures talented students. Our advanced, residential, college preparatory program prepares 650 talented Illinois students in grades 10, 11, and 12 to become scholars, researchers, and entrepreneurs. Toward this end, we find that about 80% of our graduates obtain STEM bachelor's degrees.

IMSA has a long history of supporting, nurturing, and promoting high school student participation in research through our academic curriculum …

The Preperation, Roles, And Responsibilities Of Teacher Educators, Robert Hite, Edward Fletcher, Paige Bruening, Anthony Durr, Brian Yontz, Rhonda Zatezalo, Nicole Williams, Kattlyn Wolf

School of Education, Counseling and Human Development

The literature in teacher education is filled with discourse around the topic of what it is that teacher candidates need to know and be able to do upon completion of their teacher preparation programs. However, a seriously under-researched area in the literature of teacher education is the task of preparing prospective teacher educators in doctoral programs across schools, departments, and colleges of education. Teacher educators must negotiate their varied roles as researchers, teachers, and service stewards without sacrificing their responsibility of modeling sound teaching practices for their teacher candidates. Further, these individuals must learn what the expectations and values are …

Instructional Strategies Within Single-Gender Learning Environments, Rachelle Sarrah Grandon

Graduate Research Papers

Various instructional strategies can be beneficial in both gender-specific classrooms, as well as co-educational environments. When developing age-appropriate, individualized instruction, it is crucial to consider gender-specific needs that may assist according to certain learning styles. In order to better relate to students of each gender, these practices must be given thoughtful consideration. There are many methods, found in both types of classroom settings have been explored based on practical, research-based experiences from the real-world setting.

The Influence Of High-Quality Early Childhood Education Programs On At-Risk Children's Literacy And Language Development, Gwendolyn M. Kellen

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review addressed the impact that high-quality early childhood education programs have on at-risk children's literacy and language development. The purpose of this review was to focus on the impact and benefits that high quality early childhood education programs have on the literacy and language development of at-risk young children, and the influence that the early childhood teachers, the early childhood classroom environment, and the early childhood classroom activities have on the literacy and language development of young children who may be at-risk of developing reading difficulties when they begin formal education.

The research concluded that at-risk children who …

Cooking : Mixing And Measuring With Young Children, Aimee Marie Klostermann

Graduate Research Papers

Cooking with young children is a rewarding experience as an educator. Not only are the children enjoying themselves, but you are too. Cooking allows children to be in touch with their senses, and is a hands-on approach to learning. Of course cooking can be messy, which is what young children love most. Incorporating science, math, literacy, and social studies into one activity is easily done through cooking.

Whether you are a novice or a veteran when it comes to cooking, the skills children gain are immense when you incorporate cooking into the early childhood curriculum. I believe there are some …

Bridging The Gap Between Real World Polar Science And The Classroom, William Robertson, Vanessa Lougheed, Craig Tweedie, Aaron Velasco, Claudia Garcia

Departmental Papers (TE)

The International Polar Year - Research and Educational Opportunities in Antarctica for Minorities (IPY-ROAM) program was designed to increase minority participation in polar science by immersing participants in an academic program that included a trip to Antarctica. The IPY-ROAM program was focused on increasing the public understanding of the Polar Regions and stimulating a new interest in polar science. This effort was coordinated by faculty from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and was implemented to positively contribute to the intense, internationally coordinated IPY scientific campaign. Through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), a team of …

Dr. Skateboard’S Action Science: Transforming Science Education For Middle School Students, William Robertson

Departmental Papers (TE)

The main objective of this article is to describe an example of unique and creative classroom materials that are built around a real world interest of Middle School students. Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science is a curriculum supplement that integrates both skateboarding and BMX. As an example of transformative education, it is built around student interests with a direct link to specific science knowledge and skills that need to be learned. It incorporates a four part video series and twenty classroom activities for students and teachers to use in the classroom. The video and classroom materials focus on the physical science …

Skateboard: Ciencia De Acción De Doctor Skateboard: Educacion Transformativa En Física, William Robertson

Departmental Papers (TE)

This article, written in Spanish, describes a transformative process for teaching physics in the middle school science classroom through an analysis of the use of Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science. Additionally, the article attempts to bridge efforts in the US, specifically in El Paso, Texas to opportunities that exist in Spanish speaking countries, including Mexico and Chile. The provided abstracts, in Spanish and English, describe how “action science” can be used in presenting fundamental science concepts and that this approach can be expanded from Middle schools to high schools and universities. Action science is an active learning methodology for teaching physics …

Essential Faculty Development Programs For Teaching And Learning Centers In Research–Extensive Universities, Larissa Pchenitchnaia, Bryan R. Cole

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This research highlights the imperative nature of designing programs to address the full range of faculty develapment needs. It presents a framework for essential faculty development programs for teaching and learning centers in research-extensive universities for introducing, enhancing, and improving faculty develapment offerings. The nationwide Delphi study of faculty development programs identified eighteen currently essential and twenty-eight future essential faculty development programs for teaching and learning centers in research-extensive universities. This list of programs may serve as a baseline for evaluating existing faculty development programming and guiding the expansion of established programs and the planning of new ones.

About The Authors, Volume 27 (2009)

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

About the editors and authors of volume 27 (2009) of To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.

Experiential Lessons In The Practice Of Faculty Development, Ed Neal, Iola Peed-Neal

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The practice of faculty development, as distinct from its theoretical and empirical principles, must largely be learned experientially, through an often painful process of trial and error. In this chapter, we offer some of the lessons we have learned in our combined total of sixty-four years as faculty developers, in hopes that others might benefit from our experience.

Practical Tools To Help Faculty Use Learner–Centered Approaches, Phyllis Blumberg

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Instructors often resist dramatic changes in their teaching, and learner-centered approaches are not intuitive for most instructors. They need tools to help them adopt these approaches. This chapter describes four tools—1) a list of components of Weimer’s five practices of learner-centered teaching, 2) reflection questions to prepare instructors to determine the learner-centered status of their courses, 3) self-assessment rubrics, and 4) a Planning for Transformation form—to help instructors change their teaching. Taken together, these tools form a comprehensive system with which to plan for change. This system encourages and assists instructors to make incremental changes toward using learner-centered approaches in …

Effective Strategies For General And Special Education Teachers, Heather A. Martel

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Today’s teachers are asked to educate ALL students using research-based strategies in inclusive classrooms. The following review will include three research based instructional strategies and one teaching model all of which are elements that can increase the success of students at risk for learning problems. Instructional strategies explored in this review are class-wide peer tutoring, direct instruction and the behavioral strategy of self-monitoring. The teaching model is known as co-teaching, a model which is becoming the norm in schools in southeast Michigan. It is hypothesized that concrete knowledge of research based instructional methods that can be used in co-teaching situations …