Education Commons^™

Preschool Education In Australia, Andrew Dowling, Kate O’Malley

Policy Briefs

Early childhood education (ECE) in Australia will soon experience a ‘radical makeover.’ In 2008, all Australian governments made a commitment through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) that by 2013, all children in the year before formal schooling will have access to high quality early childhood education programs delivered by degreequalified early childhood teachers, for 15 hours per week, 40 weeks of the year, in public, private and community-based preschools and child care. The purpose of this policy brief is to summarise the current structure of preschool in Australia in contemplation of this major policy shift. This paper describes the …

Utilizing Concept Mapping As A Teaching And Learning Tool To Prepare For The Science Taks Test, Rosa Linda Zuniga

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Concept mapping was used with Donna High School students to determine its effect on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. Concept mapping was used with models such as the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol model (SIOP), the 5- E model, and the Learning Groups model. This measure was taken because the models used have not helped students improve their TAKS scores significantly. The findings of this research reveals that using the process of concept mapping together with the SIOP model helps students clearly see related concepts and motivates them to think more deeply. Students quickly realize what concepts …

Impact Of Preschool Education On Reading Achievement Of Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Students, Melissa Harvey Clark

Dissertations

This study examines the impact of various types of preschool care and education on the reading achievement of children, kindergarten through fifth grade, who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K). The participants in this study are located throughout the United States of America. These students attend public and private schools.

The data for this study were provided by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The researcher utilized ECLS-K's Public Use Data File and Electronic Codebook to create an SPSS syntax file in order to determine if …

High School Accreditation In Maine: Perceptions Of Costs And Benefits, Janet Fairman, Brenda Peirce, Walter Harris

Maine Education Policy Research Institute

No abstract provided.

Nebline, Nov./Dec. 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Middle School Youth on a “Nutrition Mission”
Roasts – Easy to Make for the Holidays and Any Other Time, Too!
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ Notes—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Get a Handle on Holiday Cleaning
Radon—A Health Hazard
Computer Cleaning—Hotspots for Germs
Flexible Cash Lease Provisions
Thistle Control Still Possible This Fall — but Hurry
Use Season-Long Records to Assess Pumping Plant Performance
Diversity is the Key to Attracting Wildlife
Provide Basic Needs to Attract Birds
Relocating Problem Wild Animals: Not as Humane as Most People Think
Evergreen Colors for Winter
Fall Vegetable Garden …

Nebline, October 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Extension Helps Establish a Garden at City Mission
Nutrition Classes Focus on Produce from Garden
How to Reduce Energy Cost for Grain Drying
Tree Planting for Success
Successful Composting
$tretch Your Food Dollar by Making Your Own Mixes
Slow Cookers and Food Safety
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: End-of-Summer Cleanup
10 Tips for Parent-Teacher Conferences
Drying Gourds
Growing American Bittersweet
Storing Vegetables
Praying Mantids: Garden Carnivores
Problem Squirrels in Buildings
October's Heart of 4-H Award Winner: Jennifer Cusick-Rawlinson
Nebraska State Fair 4-H Results
Free Speech: UNL Speakers Bureau in 15th …

Nebline, September 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

September is Preparedness Month
Overseeding Lawns
Water Young Trees to Prevent Winter Damage
Winterizing Your Home
Propagating Plants from Cuttings
Just Like Kids, Head Lice are Back in School
When a Bat Gets Indoors
Eating Locally Grown Foods in the Fall
Get Your Grains
Laundry Tips for Back-to-School Garments and Stains
Parent-Teacher Communication
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Recognize Symptoms of Stress
Ten Tips for Welcoming Wildlife into Your Landscape
Weedy Vines: Identification and Control
Winter Annual Weeds in Lawn
Fall is a Good Time to Control Weeds
September's Heart …

Implementing Differentiated Strategies During Math Instruction, Jessica Cavaleri

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In any elementary school classroom there are students with different abilities, learning styles, and personalities. Teachers need to find a successful way to individualize their teaching in order to benefit every child in the class. I designed this action research study to study the implementation of differentiated strategies in my third grade classroom at Riker Hill Elementary in Livingston, New Jersey. My class consists of 22 students during Math instruction. I studied the use of differentiated instructional techniques through the implementation of specific strategies, including group work, attending to multiple learning styles, and the use of centers. I implemented the …

Utilizing Centers To Enhance My Instruction And Students' Understanding Of Math Concepts, Samantha Rowelle Darden

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Anyone who listens to the news hears many negative comments on the status of education in the United States today. Many say that our standards and the quality of our education have declined. We have fallen behind European and Asian countries. Our requirements and expectations have been lowered. Yet, we have never stepped back to assess what has changed and why. If we had to point to one detail to provide insight into what has changed, we would name the internet. We would call the technology explosion in the 21st century a “singularity”; an event that changes things so fundamentally …

Nebline, August 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Landscape Water Saving Methods
Natural Sources of Nitrogen for Plant Growth
Commercial Nitrogen Fertilizer Sources
Pumping Water For Ponds
Canning Fruits and Vegetables
Heating With Wood
Fall Prairie Seeding Site Preparation
Handling Food Safely on the Road $tretch Your Food Dollar by Packing Your Lunch Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints
Financial Security: Consumer Credit
Running Out of Time for Bagworm Control
Harvesting and Preserving Herbs
Summertime Bug Bites
Taking Insect Photos at Spring Creek Prairie
4-H’ers Test Animal Science Skills at PASE
4-H’ers Test Family and Consumer Sciences Skills at …

The Longitudinal Factor Structure Of Parent Involvement And Its Impact On Academic Achievement: Findings From The Ecls-K Dataset, Hui-Fang Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The critical role of parent involvement has been endorsed by educators and educational policy in the United States. However, various definitions and approaches to assess parent involvement have yielded inconsistent conclusions regarding the impact of parent involvement on child development and failed to provide foundations for practitioners. These contradictory findings, at least in part, reflected that parent involvement is a multidimensional construct which should be captured by many behaviors and activities as well as the limitations of using classical test theory to develop/identify items to assess parent involvement.

This study conducted both CTT and IRT to identify optimal items for …

(De)Composing A Garden For Children's Play, Debra Jean Deverell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kindergarten has been a part of the educational landscape of the United States since 1856, when the first kindergarten opened in Watertown, Wisconsin. If we fast-forward more than a century and a half to the present, it is clear that the landscape composition of the garden-ideologically, culturally, socially, and politically for children's play has drastically changed.

The purpose of this study, (De)Composing a Garden for Children's Play, is to examine kindergartners' play set against changing school polices and practices of recent years in one Colorado school district. Four research questions guided this inquiry:

1. What does kindergarten look like …

Does Maine's Middle School Laptop Program Improve Learning? A Review Of Evidence To Date, David L. Silvernail

Maine Education Policy Research Institute

No abstract provided.

Nebline, July 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Lancaster Rural Water District: Providing Water to Acreages and Villages for 35 Years
Watch for Blister Beetles in Alfalfa
Use of Copper Compounds to Control Algae in Farm Ponds
Two-Spotted Spider Mites
Water Conservation at Home Begins in the Bathroom, Laundry Room
Harvesting Rainwater Helps Conserve Water and Save Money
What to Do with Zucchini!
Fruits Are Good Source of Nutrients
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Environmental and Energy Saving Tips When Washing Dishes
Learn the Signs/Act Early Autism Awareness
Summer Safety Tips
There is Still Time to Control Bagworms …

Nebline, June 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Proper Timing Crucial for Bagworm Control
Enjoy Eating Locally Grown Foods!
Drink Your “D” with Dairy
Resurgence in Farmers’ Markets is Good News
Follow Guidelines when Selling Crops Directly to Consumers
Ten Lawn Irrigation Tips
Determining and Sharing Irrigation Costs
When to Harvest Bromegrass Hay
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Air Conditioner Maintenance
June — National Safety Month
Ten Tips for Fertilizing Your Lawn
Bagworms on a Variety of Plants
Bed Bug Bites
Bed Bug Interceptors
4-H Life Challenge Contests
Lancaster County 4-H Horse VIPS Pre-Districts Format Clinic/Show/Fundraiser
4-H Clover …

Authentic Assessment Versus Traditional Assessment: A Comparative Study, Nikki Brawley

Honors Theses

Assessment is defined as "almost any form of measurement and appraisal of what students know and can do." These forms can include, but are not limited to: tests, reports, observations, and questioning. There are two main subgroups used when describing assessment: trasitional and alternative. The term traditional assessment refers to a paper and pencil based test used to determine what a student knows and can recall, i.e. the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests (PACT). The term alternative assessment refers to "almost any type of assessment other than standardized tests." (McAfee & Leong, 2-3) This subgroup can be divided into various types …

Early Childhood Public School Teacher Licensure For The Fifty States And Washington, D.C.: An Inquiry To Ascertain Student Age Ranges For Public School Teacher Licensure May 2009, R. Caudle Jones, S. Martin, M. Crandall

Research Reports and Research Bulletins

There is a need for birth through kindergarten (B-K) public school licensure in the state of Arkansas. In Arkansas, licensure for teachers of young children is for pre-kindergarten through fourth grade (P-4). Teachers who receive P-4 licenses are often less prepared to work with children under age six than with older children. A more appropriate license would be a B-K license. A teacher with B-K licensure would be prepared to meet the emotional, social, physical, and cognitive needs of young children. This document is an inquiry to ascertain student age ranges for public school teacher licensure in the fifty states …

Nebline, May 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Bed Bugs Come Back with a Vengeance: Controlling Them Quickly is Key to Slowing Their Spread
Bird Watching: A Little Backyard Therapy
May is Time to Control Leafy Spurge
Recognize/Control Phragmites
Getting the Most Out of CRP
Gluten-Free Sorghum Recipes
Eat a Variety of Vegetables
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Removing Pollen Stains
May is Clean Air Month: Important Asthma Triggers
Encourage Communication Within the Family
Hand Picking Bagworms an Effective Control
ReTree Nebraska: Important to Diversify When Replanting
Managing Aquatic Plant Life
Using Animal Manure in the Garden
Control …

Impact Of Flash Animation In Learning Concepts Of Matter Among Elementary Students, Rhodora S. Santos

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examines the instructional effect of flash animation on students' achievement in learning specific concepts of matter. The subjects used in this study were 5th-grade students of the researcher from Dan Ramirez Elementary. Each class or section of these students was randomly assigned as the control group (n = 20) and the experimental group (n =20). The subjects in the control group were exposed to traditional textbook reading while the subjects in the experimental group were exposed to flash animation. To measure the students' achievement from the concepts learned, a pre-test and a post test were both administered to …

Nebline, April 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Urban Youth Learn About Agriculture at Local Ag Awareness Festivals
Renting Livestock Facilities
Is Sainfoin Right For You?
Wind Energy Seminars Archived on the Web
Backyard Organic Gardens Need Work but Have Increased Benefits
Pre-emergent Herbicide Application Time
Act Early to Control Musk Thistles
Study Shows Transplanted Trees Grow Better Without Grass Nearby
Eat Your Breakfast— Your Body will Thank You!
Easter Egg Tips
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Housekeeping Organization
Wring Out the Old; Bring in the New: Debunking Some Common Cleaning Practices
Boost Your Child’s Brain Power
Children …

Teacher, School, And Student Characteristics, Theoretical Orientations Toward Reading, Attitudes Toward High Stakes Testing, And Reading Performance In Grades K-6, Dianne Memmer-Novak

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

High stakes testing and accountability has become a hotly debated topic among politicians and educators since the bipartisan passing of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in 2002. With the goal of having all students reading at or above grade level by the end of the 2013-2014 school year Reading First was developed as part of NCLB, to provide schools and teachers with scientific research-based reading instruction.

More than districts or schools, it is the classroom teacher that bears the ultimate responsibility for increasing reading performance. Effective teachers of reading must face the demands and challenges of NCLB while …

Using Laptops To Facilitate Middle School Science Learning: The Results Of Hard Fun, Alexis M. Berry, Sarah E. Wintle, Bristol Consolidated School

Maine Education Policy Research Institute

No abstract provided.

Departing From Tradition: Innovation And Accountability In Two Primary Schools In Denmark And The Usa, Pamela Evanshen, Charlotte Ringsmose

ETSU Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Nebline, March 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

4-H Embryology: More Than Just a Science Project!
How to Account for Differences in Moisture Content in Commodities
Controlling Winter Annual Brome with Herbicides
Canada Geese Populations are Increasing
Managing Pocket Gophers
Do a “Don’t Do” List!
5 More Main Dishes—Each Using Only 5 Ingredients
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Removing Soot from Carpet
Tips to Help Parents Talk to Their Kids About Sex and Technology
Local Bagworm Control Initiative
2009 Great Plants Selections
Early Detection is Key to Minimizing Insecticide Use in Home Gardens
Bird House Care Is Important …

Review Of Evidence On Four-Day School Week, Christine Donis-Keller, David L. Silvernail

Maine Education Policy Research Institute

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Cuento Therapy On Reading Achievement And Psychological Outcomes Of Mexican-American Students, Sylvia Z. Ramirez, Jain Sachin, Leila L. Flores-Torres, Roxanna Perez, Ralph Carlson

Human Development and School Services Faculty Publications and Presentations

This investigation evaluated the effects of cuento therapy (an intervention using Spanish-language tales) on children’s self-esteem, affect, and reading test performance. The sample was composed of 58 third-grade Mexican-American students who were randomly assigned to the treatment and control groups. The results showed a mean self-esteem gain score difference between groups in favor of the treatment group for Global, Academic, and General self-esteem scores. Following intervention, the treatment group reported less physiological anxiety than did the control group. The results also showed mean increases in the pre- and post-standardized high-stakes reading test scores for both groups. Other significant findings regarding …

Nebline, February 2009

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

13 Fun Ways to Eat More Fruites and Vegetables!
Farmland Leasing Workshop, Feb. 11
Soil Fertility and Phosphorus
Private Pesticide Applicator Certification Opportunities
The Value of Landscaping
Are You Winning the “Fruit & Vegetable Bowl Game”?
5 Main Dishes—Each Using Only 5 Ingredients
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ View—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Beltline FCE Club: 1931–2008
Household Hints: How to Keep Red Clothes from Turning Pink
Small Steps to Health and Wealth
2009 All-America Selections
Starting Tender Perennials Indoors
Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month
Tree Squirrels and Rabbits are Active in Winter
Beginning Beekeeping …

Using The Acei's Global Guidelines Assessment For Improving Early Education, Elizabeth J. Sandell, Belinda J. Hardin, Sue C. Wortham

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

The Global Guidelines for Early Childhood Education and Care in the 21st Century were developed as a collaborative project between the U. S. National Committee of the World Organization for Early Childhood (OMEP) and of the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). The project's intent was to provide guidance concerning the fundamental elements that are necessary to create high quality environments for early care and education. This paper presents the history of the development of a related instrument, called the ACEI Global Guidelines Assessment (GGA). The GGA was developed to help early childhood educators assess and improve program quality, particularly …

Initial Teacher Licensure Programs At Minnesota State Univeristy, Mankato, Elizabeth J. Sandell

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

Teacher preparation is a strong tradition of Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU, Mankato), located approximately 85 miles southwest of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The institution of higher education has been preparing teachers since 1868. Currently, initial teacher licensure programs in Elementary and Early Childhood (EEC) prepare graduates to be licensed as early childhood teachers, as elementary school teachers, and/or as middle school teachers. This article describes MSU, Mankato's programs in terms of its students, faculty members, academic programs, unique opportunities for students, and emphasis on preparing professionals to be leaders in education.

Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival, Karen Rowell, University Of Southern Mississippi, The University Of Southern Mississippi's School Of Library And Information Science

Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival Programs

The program for the forty-second annual Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival held on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 2009.