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Effects Of Dysgraphia On Teachers' Perceptions Of A Student's Capabilities, Intelligence, And School Performance, Cathy R. Bussey

Mathematical and Computing Sciences Masters

The focus of this study will explore how the dysgraphic disability of one child affects teachers' perceptions of that child's capabilities, intelligence, and performance of daily tasks associated with school and schoolwork. The child will use the Tablet PC's handwriting recognition technology to determine if the assistive technology tool improves the child's school performance and his ability to produce legible notes and papers. Worksheets were downloaded into the Tablet PC prior to use in school so that the child could complete all classroom work on the Tablet PC. [This student benefited from being able to tum hand written notes into …

The Total Talent Portfolio: Using Different Data To Gain A More Holistic View Of Our Learners, Steven M. Lysenko

Mathematical and Computing Sciences Masters

This study determined how the collection of student data could help a team of teachers learn more about their pupils and increase instructional efficacy. 121 students of 8th grade white house team at Spry Middle School in Webster, NY were selected to pilot this study. Student inventories measured 4MAT Thinking Styles, Learning Styles, Multiple Intelligences, and Interest. Student cumulative file information, eg. past years' grades and standardized test scores, was combined with the inventory results to form the Total Talent Portfolio, or TTP. The team then used this data to aid in classroom grouping. The teachers found that the TTP …

Back Matter

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Transforming The Lecture-Hall Environment: The Fully Interactive Physics Lecture, David E. Meltzer, Kandiah Manivannan

College of Natural and Applied Sciences

Numerous reports suggest that learning gains in introductory university physics courses may be increased by “active-learning” instructional methods. These methods engender greater mental engagement and more extensive student–student and student–instructor interaction than does a typical lecture class. It is particularly challenging to transfer these methodologies to the large-enrollment lecture hall. We report on seven years of development and testing of a variant of Peer Instruction as pioneered by Mazur that aims at achieving virtually continuous instructor–student interaction through a “fully interactive” physics lecture. This method is most clearly distinguished by instructor–student dialogues that closely resemble one-on-one instruction. We present and …

Intrafield Distortion Characterization, Brian Martinick

Journal of the Microelectronic Engineering Conference

Distortion of printed photoresist patterns exists in all photolithographic tools and can be generated by numerous factors. These noncorrectable overlay errors are the direct result of lens imperfections, machine inaccuracy, and reticle error. Any one of these factors can have extreme effects on pattern placement and quality. This study involved characterizing this anomaly and was the first of its kind at the Semiconductor & Microsystems Fabrication Laboratory (SMFL). Incorporating a unique test reticle, crosshairs were printed on silicon wafers. These features were measured via Manufacturing Electron Beam Exposure System (MEBES) market analysis to reveal any pattern migration. This analysis involves …

Five New Δ Scuti Stars, Gregory W. Henry, Francis C. Fekel

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We present high‐resolution spectroscopy and precision photometry of five new, relatively bright δ Scuti stars. They were originally chosen as photometric comparison stars in our program of automated, high‐precision photometry of solar‐type stars and subsequently recognized as new variable stars. We conducted follow‐up spectroscopic and photometric observations to determine the properties of the stars and their types of variability. All five of the stars presented here belong to the most common subgroup of low‐amplitude, Population I δ Scuti variables. One of the stars, HD 10502, is the third example of a δ Scuti variable with composite broad and narrow spectroscopic …

Learning From International Studies Of Teaching : The Timss-R Video Study., James Hiebert, Hilary Hollingsworth

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

This paper discusses the Third International Mathematics and Science Study - Repeat (TIMSS-R) Video Study. In addition to the broad goal of describing mathematics teaching in seven countries including a number of countries with records of high achievement, the study had the following research objectives: to develop objective, observational measures of classroom instruction to serve as appropriate quantitative indicators of teaching practice in each country; to compare teaching practice and identify similar or different lessons; and to describe patterns of teaching practice for each country.

Pisa From Australia's Perspective, Jan Lokan

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

This paper discusses the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey and the Australian teenagers that took part with students from thirty-one other countries. The paper describes the background to PISA, an initiative of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) keen to have measures of outputs from compulsory level schooling to accompany regularly collected country-level data on educational context and investment in education of human and monetary resources. The author describes the goals and features of PISA, its scope, Australian representatives and, school and background factors.

Information And Communication Technologies In Classrooms : Perspectives From An International Study, John Ainley, Diana Banks, Marianne Fleming

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

Many countries have envisaged a significant role for information and communications technologies (ICT) in their education systems. For example, in Australia one of the goals in the declaration of the Ministerial Council on Education, Training and Youth Affairs on national goals for schooling stated that students should be confident, creative and productive users of new technologies and understand the impact of those technologies on society. A national action plan, Learning in an Online World, has set three priority areas for development making available connections of sufficient bandwidth to allow schools to integrate online services into curriculum practice; providing effective pre-service …

Retrieving Information, Interpreting, Reflecting, And Then... : Using The Result Of Pisa Reading Literacy., Juliette Mendelovits

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

This paper discusses the results achieved by Australia in the initial report on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The German reaction to a low score for German students is described. Three responses to PISA reading literacy results in Australia are described. These include: pragmatic use of the PISA reading literacy results at a national level; retrieving information from the international study and using it to create a benchmark for reading literacy for fifteen year-olds in Australia; and, using what has been learnt about reading literacy to question, evaluate and perhaps modify the way that reading literacy is taught …

Providing World-Class School Education (Conference Proceedings), Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

2002 - Providing World-Class School Education

International achievement studies are capable of identifying international best practice in school education and providing decision makers at all levels—from policy maker to system manager to school leader to classroom teacher—with information that may be useful in their own efforts to improve student learning outcomes. These studies assist us in answering such questions as: What is ‘world-class’ education? and What characterises outstanding educational provision?

Editors' Introduction And Acknowledgements, M. Deborah Bialeschki, Karla A. Henderson, Anderson B. Young, Robert G. Andrejewski

Research in Outdoor Education

An introduction to the journal "Research in Outdoor Education," volume 6 is presented by the authors on behalf of the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors (CEO) Research Committee.

Front Matter, Coalition For Education In The Outdoors (Ceo)

Research in Outdoor Education

The Coalition for Education in the Outdoors initiated a Research Task Force in 1990 with the purpose of supporting the conduct of research in the field and the dissemination of the results. The symposium at Bradford Woods and these Proceedings offer evidence of the success of this task force. At the first symposium in 1992, there was general agreement that the symposium be a regular occurrence. The 2002 Symposim and these Proceedings are indicators of the Coalition's continued support of research in outdoor education. Information on future events will be available through the Coalition office.

This article includes the Editors, …

Milestones In Outdoor Education, Anderson B. Young

Research in Outdoor Education

A preface to the journal "Research in Outdoor Education," volume is presented by the author on behalf of the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors (CEO) Research Committee.

Reynold E. Carlson: A Distinguished Pioneer In Outdoor Education, Joel Meier

Research in Outdoor Education

A tribute to Reynold E. Carson, a pioneer in outdoor education, is presented by the author.

Effective Practices And Participant Outcomes For Youth: Inclusive Camps And Outdoor Schools, Steve Brannan, Joel Arick, Ann Fullerton

Research in Outdoor Education

This research project investigated resident camp and outdoor school programs and em­ployed validated instrumentation to help deter­mine the effects of inclusive practices on the growth and development of youth with and without disabilities (Brannan, Fullerton, Arick, Robb, and Bender, in press).

Qualitative Outcomes For Youth Who Participate In Inclusive Programs: A Multi-Case Analysis Across 14 Camps And Outdoor Schools, Ann Fullerton, Steve Brannan, Joel Arick

Research in Outdoor Education

As the number of inclusive programs grows, an important question arises: What are the out­comes of participation in an inclusive camp or outdoor school where children live, learn, and play with peers of varying abilities. Residential camps and outdoor schools and their research partners are striving to develop effective meth­ods to examine the outcomes for program par­ticipants (Dworken. 2001). Both quantitative and qualitative methods have been used to examine outcomes such as changes in skill levels, self-perceptions, attitudes, social interaction, and infonnant or self-reported growth in various ar­eas of development. Qualitative research may help us describe the scope, depth, and …

Leader Integration Competencies And Staff Training, Leo Mcavoy, Jim Roehl, John Rynders

Research in Outdoor Education

The purpose of this study was to test that competencies about inclusion were learned in staff training. Specifically, the study sought to identify the leadership competencies necessary for leaders in integrated outdoor adventure pro­grams and to measure the effectiveness of a staff training addressing one of these competencies (the ability to apply integration strategies). This study was exploratory in nature and centered on one agency, Wilderness Inquiry, Inc. (WI) of Minneapolis, which is recognized as the fore­most integrated outdoor adventure program in the country. The study focused on current staff of Wilderness Inquiry and on the approximately 30 new program …

Using Means-End Theory To Understand The Outdoor Adventure Experience, Marnie Goldenberg, Leo Mcavoy, David Klensosky, Tom Holman

Research in Outdoor Education

According to Ford (1981), outdoor educa­tion is "education in, about, and for the out­doors, implying a place, a topic, and a reason" (p. 14). Another working definition stated that outdoor education is "an experiential method of learning which takes place primarily through sensory involvement with the out-of-doors" (Priest & Gass, 1997, p. 17). Priest and Gass also defined outdoor adventure programs as those. that use challenging experiences in the outdoors to promote personal and group devel­opment.

This research developed a better under­standing of the linkages between outdoor adven­ture program (Outward Bound) experiences and outcomes using means-end analysis. Previously the means-end …

Difficulty And Ability: Staff Member Perceptions Of Seasonal Staff Training, Gwynn M. Powell, Robert D. Bixler, Deborah M. Switzer, Karen P. Hurtes

Research in Outdoor Education

The process that camp directors use to plan and implement their staff training and continu­ing education may be affected by understanding seasonal staff-member perceptions of the diffi­culty and ability of camp-specific skills and knowledge. The purpose of this study was to investigate staff perceptions to provide a base­line of information for practice and future re­search.

The Adventure Model: A Replication Study To Determine If Different Adventure Skills Support The Model, Ken Gilbertson, Alan Ewert

Research in Outdoor Education

The Adventure Model uses the theory of specialization (Bryan, 1977; Ditton, Loomis, & Choi, 1992) as a developmental framework by suggesting that participants become specialized in their adventure activities, implying that individuals have differing needs and expectations based on skill and activity type. In addition, as suggested by Scott and. Shafer (2001), speciali­zation implies a developmental process involving behavior, attitudes, and preferences. Thus, the Adventure Model suggests that as partici­pants become more skilled and specialized, a number of attributes, such as frequency of par­ticipation and locus of decision making, change in a predictable manner (Anderson, Anderson, & Young, 2000; Ewert …

Multidimensional Self-Concept And Outdoor Adventure Education With Adolescents, Timothy S. O'Connell

Research in Outdoor Education

This study focused on the changes in self-concept of adolescents enrolled in· out­door adventure education courses offered at a traditional· college preparatory high school and explored how gender influenced changes in specific domains of self-concept.

An Analysis Of Outdoor Leaders' Ethics Guiding Decisions, Denise Mitten

Research in Outdoor Education

Up to 70,000 people a year may participate in wilderness experience programs in the United States (Friese, Hendee, & Kinziger, 1998). Many more people participate in non-wildemess outdoor programs. Over 700 programs offer wilderness opportunities for personal growth in the United States with a predicted increase of 15 percent a year (Ewert & McAvoy, 1999). During these trips, the behavior modeled and the infor­mation shared by the outdoor leaders influences a large number of people, including people with many diverse needs. Garvey (1999) stated that outdoor leaders model what they hold to be the most appropriate behavior in a situation: …

If The Dress Fits, Wear It.: Uncovering Meaning In Gender Stereotyping In An Australian Outdoor Education Program, Katherine J. Pinch

Research in Outdoor Education

This study is part of a larger project that ex­amined the significance of the gender system working within and through an outdoor adven­ture education program for adolescents. Al­though the categories female and male were used to describe the claimed and ascribed identi­ties of the participants, the study was designed to explore the implications of the gender system with reference to agency and empowerment for adolescent girls, not to differentiate between "essential" female and male experiences. The data was not analyzed to make statistical infer­ences about girls and boys as homogeneous groups. It was viewed in terms of how different ranges …

Developing Outdoor Leaders: Paul Petzoldt's Perspective, Mark Wagstaff, Christine Cashel

Research in Outdoor Education

Paul Petzoldt, an early pioneer in outdoor education, saw the need for trained outdoor leaders. Petzoldt spent his professional life edu­cating outdoor leaders to lead safe, enjoyable outdoor adventures without harm to the envi­ronment (Bachert, 1987, Ringholz, 1997). Pet­zoldt, who died in 1999, left a legacy of organi­zations, books, students, and controversy that have helped shaped the outdoor leadership pro­fession. After his death, boxes of papers and handwritten journals were given to the authors to use for research purposes. Some of Petzoldt's unpublished ideas are presented in this paper. Key concepts and meth­ods utilized by Petzoldt to train outdoor leaders …

Meta-Analytic Research On The Outcomes Of Outdoor Education, James T. Neill

Research in Outdoor Education

For most outdoor education (OE )advocates the ready-at-hand, ad hoc evidence is sufficient to support their en­thusiastic claims about OE. Indeed, the smile when a participant conquers a challenge and the glowing words spoken during a debrief are often compelling. But is it enough to let such evi­dence speak for itself? Professional OErs should know more about research results, as should all stakeholders in OE programs and related fields of endeavor, includ­ing researchers of OE. To date, however, there has been a lack of high quality research reviews that have been written for both researchers and practitioners. Thus the current …

Motivations Of Elderhostel Participants In Outdoor Adventure Programs: A Life-Cycle Perspective, Deborah M. Sugerman

Research in Outdoor Education

This manuscript examines the motivations of older adults to participate in outdoor adventure experiences based on whether or not they are retired to determine the association of motiva­tion and retirement status. A particular focus for the paper is to better inform providers of outdoor adventure programs for older adults about the specific motivations of participants based on their stage of life cycle development. Under­standing these motivations may aid in conduct­ing effective and appropriate outdoor adventure programs for this population.

The Relationship Between Program Components And Outcomes: Participants' Perceptions Of An Outdoor Adventure Student Orientation, Cheryl K. Baldwin, Harry C. Zinn, Linda L. Caldwell

Research in Outdoor Education

The purpose of this study was to assess participants' perceptions of program com­ponents and outcomes of a first-year college student outdoor adventure orientation (OAO) program. Qualitative, semi-struc­tured post-trip interviews were conducted during the spring semester with 11 OAO participants.

Ten Years Of Challenge Course Research: A Review Of Affective Outcome Studies, Camille J. Bunting, John P. Donley

Research in Outdoor Education

Over the past 30 years, challenge/ropes courses have spread across the country and are now focused toward a variety of popula­tions, including adolescents, college stu­dents, and corporate employees. Despite their success and growing popularity as an effective training tool, challenge/ropes courses have earned little credibility through academic research. Although a significant amount of research has· been completed, questions continue to arise regarding the efficacy of challenge/ropes experiences for corporate team development and the educa­tional enhancement for adolescent and col­lege students. The purpose of this study was to assimilate and synthesize challenge/ropes course research during the 1990s that stud­ied affective outcomes …

The Relationship Of Motivation Factors To Level Of Development In Outdoor Adventure Recreationists, Sharon L. Todd, Lynn Anderson, Anderson B. Young, Dale Anderson

Research in Outdoor Education

A growing body of empirical studies tests theories of developmental level in a recreation activity. Most are based on two prominent lei­sure theories: specialization (Bryan, 1977, 1979) and amateur/professionalism or "serious leisure" (Stebbins, 1979, 1992). A parallel group of stud­ies has focused on understanding the developmental levels of outdoor adventure (or risk) receation behavior, primarily using the Adventure Recreation Model (ARM) (Ewert, 1989) as a cornerstone. Both areas of the literature have sought to understand developmental levels in relation to other variables, including motivation. The purpose of this study was to determine the motivation factors that are related to partici­pants' …