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University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Agenda, October 26, 2009, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting agenda from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Agenda, October 26, 2009, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting agenda from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Deafdigest: Gold Edition, October 25, 2009, Barry Strassler

DeafDigest Gold 2009

No abstract provided.

Developing A Coordinated School Health Approach To Child Obesity Prevention In Rural Appalachia: Results Of Focus Groups With Teachers, Parents, And Students, Karen E. Schetzina, William Dalton, Elizabeth F. Lowe, Nora Azzazy, Katrina Vonwerssowetz, Connie Givens, H. P. Stern

ETSU Faculty Works

INTRODUCTION:

High prevalence rates of obesity, particularly among those residing in US rural areas, and associated physical and psychosocial health consequences, direct attention to the need for effective prevention programs. The current study describes an initial step in developing a school-based obesity prevention program in rural Appalachia, USA. The program, modeled on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coordinated School Health (CSH) Program, includes a community-based participatory research approach to addressing the health needs specific to this region.

METHODS:

Focus groups with teachers, parents, and 4th grade students were used to understand perceptions and school policy related to nutrition, …

The Cowl - V. 74 - N. 3 - Sept 24, 2009

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 74 - Number 3 - September 24, 2009. 32 pages.

Facilitative Conditions For Transformative Learning, Devika Dibya Choudhuri

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at EMU

Teaching multicultural counseling is challenging work. In order for students to learn course material, the instructor must often send them through a process of unlearning what they previously thought they knew in an effort to have them question their assumptions and form a deeper understanding of social identity. As Dibya Choudhuri notes, this can potentially lead to transformative experiences for students, as they begin to see the world much differently than they previously had. Dibya expertly uses the theory of transformative learning to shed light on what is happening in her class as her students go through this experience. Dibya …

How Reacting To The Past Games "Made Me Want To Come To Class And Learn": An Assessment Of The Reacting Pedagogy At Emu, 2007-2008, Mark D. Higbee

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at EMU

Mark Higbee reports in his chapter on his use of an innovative pedagogy, Reacting to the Past, at Eastern Michigan University. The Reacting method was originally developed at Barnard College; Mark’s chapter reveals the challenges of adapting this approach to a regional comprehensive university with a diverse student body. But more than that, Mark’s chapter is about the opportunities associated with using this pedagogy here at EMU. The levels of student engagement produced through students’ “playing” these elaborate games are quite impressive and, as Mark notes, very much needed in the EMU context.

One of the things I particularly like …

Making Cooperative Learning Visible Without The Group Grade, Jeannette Kindred

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at EMU

Jenny Kindred wrestles in this chapter with a dilemma many of us have faced: how to grade group assignments. I suspect many people reading this have a memory of getting a lower grade than we deserved in a group project because a fellow group member didn’t pull his or her weight. My experience with this has always made me shy away from giving group grades. And yet, others convincingly argue that group grades are required in order to build a cohesive group rather than a collection of individuals who happen to be working on the same project. Since group work …

Acknowledgments, Jeffrey L. Bernstein

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at EMU

No abstract provided.

We Are…Marshall, October 23, 2009, Office Of Marshall University Communications

We Are ... Marshall: the Newsletter for Marshall University 1999-2023

No abstract provided.

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).

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.

Little Shop Of Horrors, Howard Ashman

Theatre Productions

Little Shop of Horrors is a horror/comedy/rock musical play by Howard Ashman and composed by Alan Menkin. It is about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. Presented at John Carroll in the Fall of 2009.

Carletonian Security Blotter: October 23, 2009, Randy Atchison

Covid-19 Archive: Documents

The college paper's Security Blotter during fall 2009 includes three students seeking further care for flu-like symptoms, possibly H1N1. Page 2.

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.

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

Available Classroom Supports For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Public Schools, Cheryl A. Sandford

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

A self-administered electronic survey and follow-up interviews were used to determine the quality, quantity and types of supports that are provided for students with autism spectrum disorders in a variety of public school settings nationwide. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted to determine the effects of educators’ background, ongoing training and development activities, opinions and attitudes of educators on the supports available. Statistically and socially significant effects were found for a number of these characteristics. A need for increased and improved educator training in autism strategies was a prevalent theme throughout the data.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

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 …