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Math In The Middle Report To Nebraska December 2009

Math in the Middle Program Materials

Table of Contents:

An overview of Math in the Middle

Gordon-Rushville reaps benefits of Math in the Middle

Nebraska Math & Science Summer Institutes: Courses enhance teaching abilities

Math in the Middle graduates excel as teacher leaders

Math in the Middle graduate achievements: Exemplary leaders in math education

Dan Schaben, former NATM president, reflects on Math in the Middle

Math Teachers’ Circle: The drive to learn continues

Action Research Papers

Math Expository Papers

Doctoral Students and Math in the Middle

Selected Publications

Contributors: Jim Lewis, Ruth Heaton, Michelle Homp, Wendy Smith, Shannon Parry and Lindsay Augustyn

Design/Layout: Lindsay Augustyn

Ec98-899 Sorghum Basis Patterns From Selected Sites In Nebraska

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

The following publication contains the sorghum basis patterns for several towns in Nebraska. Price information was collected through surveys, newspapers, electronic media, etc. The listing includes towns representative of different geographic locations in Nebraska. The amount of data varies among locations. This publication will be updated each year by adding a year's data to each locations. This allows the user to observe the changing of basis patterns over time.

Voice And Volume Of Leader Self-Awareness, Michael J. Mcdonald

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study proposed that the level of self-awareness possessed by a leader has a direct relationship with the engagement level of the team he or she leads. A quantitative approach using the results of self-other leadership ratings and team engagement ratings were examined to explain employee engagement through perceptions of leadership awareness.

By understanding leadership through the integration of two instruments, one designed to measure seven specific demands of leadership (the L7 instrument) and another to measure employee engagement on twelve dimensions (the Q12 instrument), this study explored the relationship between leader self-awareness and the effect of that awareness on …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of Career American Missionaries In The Countries Of Kenya And Tanzania Relating To Their Overseas Field-Based Orientation Experiences, John S. Basham

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived field orientation experiences of 12 missionaries living in Kenya and Tanzania relative to their perceptions of personal effectiveness. This study was driven by how a segment of missionaries described their field orientation in relation to perceived effectiveness on the field. Four major themes relative to field orientation emerged. Recommendations relating to missionary field orientation programs were offered.

Every year thousands of new missionaries relocate overseas with the intent of ministering in a new culture. All experience cultural shock and problems. Orientation experiences and personal definitions of effectiveness could impact why …

Zhong Guo Gao Zhong Sheng Yin Jiu Zhuang Kuang Yan Jiu De Hui Gu [Review Of Studies Of Chinese High School Students’ Drinking Behavior], Ian Newman, Ling Qian, Jianguo Zhang, Jie Zhao, Ying Zhang

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Using Electronic Faculty Course Portfolios To Showcase Classroom Practices And Student Learning, Paul Savory, Amy M. Goodburn

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Faculty course portfolios are a valuable medium for documenting and making visible the serious intellectual work of teaching. Developing a faculty course portfolio follows the same process one uses to explore a research question. Faculty members inquire, analyze, and document their teaching practices and the resulting student learning and then make the results accessible for use, review, and assessment by one’s peers. In this article, we introduce four types of electronic course portfolios that sponsor different forms of inquiry into student learning. We highlight the major components of each type, offer advice in developing them, and share examples of each. …

Nebraskamath December 2009 Newsletter

NebraskaMATH Materials

NebraskaMATH December 2009 Newsletter

Table of Contents:

Nebraska Summit on Mathematics Education speakers inspire audience

Acuta Enews December 2009, Vol. 38, No. 12

ACUTA Newsletters

ln This lssue

Board Approves Slate of Nominees for 2010-2011 Board of Directors

From the President.......... Harvey "Buck" Buchanan, Florida State Univ., ACUTA President

Mutli-Event Discount: Attend More in 2010 and Save More!

Tech Talk: what's the Next Really Big Thing?.........................Kevin Tanzillo, Dux PR

Washington Update Newsletter

Nominate Now for ACUTA Ruth A. Michalecki Leadership Award

Board Report.................Jeri A,. Semer, Executive Director

Happy Holidays from the ACUTA Staff

DC Update Dave Ostrom, Washington State Univ, (retired)

BlCSI-Governmental Relations for 2009-2010 ................Richard Reed, RCDD, BlCSI

Audio Seminar: "lMS: The Future of Fixed Mobile Convergence"

Follow Corporate Members on Twitter 8 lnfo …

The Embodied Mind In Early Development: Sitting Postural Control And Visual Attention In Infants With Typical Development And Infants With Delays, Regina T. Harbourne

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As infants learn to sit between the ages of 5 and 8 months, they undergo many changes in their bodies as well as in their minds, creating conditions for the emergence of skills that allow greater interaction with their environment. The present study focused on the interaction of developing postural control in sitting with cognition, exemplifying the concept of the embodied mind. Look time, or the time an infant looks at an object, served as a proxy for the construct of cognitive processing. Three experiments examined developmental changes in sitting postural control and looking. The first experiment examined archival data …

Addressing Behavior Needs By Disability Category, Cynthia Serfass

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students with identified behavioral needs were provided a different level of behavioral intervention based on their special education disability category verification. A second purpose of this study was to determine what caused potential differences as interpreted by individuals working in the field.

The participants in this study were school-aged students (K-12) verified in the special education categories of Behaviorally Disordered (BD), Autism, and Other Health Impaired (OHI) from four Nebraska school districts. Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), Individualized Education Plan (IEP), functional behavioral assessment (FBA), and behavior intervention plan (BIP) documents were analyzed …

Transactional Distance And Course Structure: A Qualitative Study, Beth L. Vealé

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The last ten years has born witness to the rapid development and widespread offering of education at a distance. Even though distance education has been around since the 1970s, little attention has been given to how the structure of an online course influences students’ connections to the course or the instructor. Based on Michael G. Moore’s (1972) theory of transactional distance, this study examined one cluster of his theory—course structure. An extensive review of relevant literature revealed that there was a gap in research related to online course structure. In an effort to contribute to closing this gap, this study …

Online And Face-To-Face Classes: A Comparative Analysis Of Teaching Presence And Instructor Satisfaction, David T. Bentz

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Teaching presence is one of three components of the Community of Inquiry Model proposed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000). This study examined teaching presence, as measured by the instructional design and organization, and directed facilitation (Shea, Li, Swan, and Pickett, 2005), in a large undergraduate science course, contrasting two modes of lecture delivery, face-to-face and online video. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the teaching presence instrument, producing factor loadings similar to Shea et al.'s for both online and face-to-face delivery. Analysis of the relationship between instructor satisfaction and teaching presence (instructional design and organization, and directed facilitation) produced a significant …

Analysis Of Higher Education Employee Exercise Behaviors, Michele Linder

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

With the introduction of technology into our daily lives, the need for physical exertion has decreased, which has led to an increase in sedentary lifestyles. Sedentary lifestyles lead to the state of obesity, and nearly two-thirds of the Unites States’ adult population is considered overweight or obese. This has resulted in a reduced quality of life, adverse health effects that strain the health care system, and tension on the financial condition of American companies. Current literature indicates that organizations that had implemented exercise or wellness programs reported healthier and more productive employees, an improved morale within the company, and significant …

Gamma Sigma Delta Newsletter - Nebraska Chapter, Issue #39, December 2009

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter: Newsletters

President’s Message: We thank the seminar panelists and the seminar committee for an outstanding seminar. New Outstanding Graduate Student Award. Initiation and Awards Banquet, January 24, 2010. Rick Rasby elected to Chapter office.
Award of Merit for Service: Elbert C. Dickey
Extension Award: Dennis E. Bauer
Teaching Award: Tiffany M. Heng-Moss
Research Award: Clinton J. Jones
Gamma Sigma Delta Initiates
Gamma Sigma Delta Outstanding Graduate Student Award Fund

Women Leaders In Student Affairs: A Case Study Exploring Career Choices, Julie C. Taylor-Costello

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative, multiple case study explored what women working in student affairs reported as influences on their career choices and the impact that the type and level of student interaction has on their careers.

Data from semi-structured interviews and journal entries were obtained from ten women working in student affairs at private, four-year institutions of higher education in the Midwest. The “Stage Model of the Careers of Successful Women” (White, Cox, & Cooper, 1992) provided the theoretical framework and the basis for selecting women for the study. Two women at each of the five stages of White, Cox, and Cooper’s …

The Influence Of Departmental Affiliation And Pedagogical Training On Faculty Adoption Of Innovative Pedagogical Methods In Georgia Technical Colleges, Linda G. Grisham

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This quantitative study used factorial design and survey research to examine the influence of departmental affiliation and pedagogical training on full-time faculty members’ (n = 2193) working in the Technical College System of Georgia. The tool for data collections was a web-survey instrument, modified with permission from the Faculty Survey on Teaching, Learning and Assessment” (Matney, 2001).

Two independent variables (departmental affiliation and level of pedagogical training in active learning practices) and three dependent variables (participation in the scholarship of teaching and learning, introduction of new teaching techniques, and active learning practices) were measured by responses on a 5-point Likert-scale. …

Chronic Subjective Dizziness (Csd) Vs. Conversion Disorder: Discussion Of Clinical Findings And Rehabilitation., Julie A. Honaker, Jane M. Gilbert, Jeffrey P. Staab

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: Audiologists frequently encounter patients who complain of chronic dizziness or imbalance, in the absence of active vestibular or neurological deficits. Knowledge about conditions that cause this clinical presentation will allow audiologists to make important contributions to accurate diagnosis and effective management of these patients. This article reviews two such conditions, chronic subjective dizziness (CSD) and conversion disorder. METHOD: A case of CSD and another of conversion disorder are presented with a literature review of their clinical presentations, key diagnostic features, and treatment strategies. The role of the audiologist in assessing patients with these conditions and facilitating appropriate treatment referrals …

Modified Head Shake Computerized Dynamic Posturography, Julie A. Honaker, Connie M. Converse, Neil T. Shepard

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: Recent research on head shake posturography has demonstrated a modest increase in sensitivity to identifying peripheral vestibular system asymmetry when horizontal head movements were added to portions of the standard Sensory Organization Test (SOT) battery. However, limitations with respect to the head shake protocol were outlined, and usable data for assessing performance could not be established. The purpose of this study was to test a change in protocol for use of head shake SOT to address the noted limitations.
METHOD: Forty participants ranging in age from 20 to 79 years with no history of dizziness completed Conditions 2 and …

Experiences Of Community College Students With Adhd: A Qualitative Study In The Tradition Of Phenomenology, Charla N. Lawrence

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Postsecondary educational institutions of all types have seen increases in the number of enrollees diagnosed with ADHD. Despite such increases less in known about ADHD among college students because the majority of research has focused on children and adolescents. This qualitative study conducted in the tradition of phenomenology, explored the lived experiences of ten students attending a community college. Personal interviews were conducted for the purpose of gaining insight into how students with ADHD experience higher education in a community college environment; what support services were most/least useful; challenges faced and successes enjoyed; factors influencing success or failure, and the …

Nebraska School Facilities: Educational Adequacy Of Class Iii School District Structures, John M. Weidner, Sr.

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In 2009, a replication of the Pool study was conducted. This study, however, focused on the school systems classified as Class III districts. Nebraska has 252 Class III districts. Compared with Class II (21), Class IV (1), and Class V(1) districts, the Class III districts offer a wide array of school settings, from urban to extremely rural, and from the third largest school system in Nebraska to a single school district occupying a county in the western sandhills.

The survey responses were sorted and analyzed by five indices: Class, Quartile of Valuation per Pupil, Population Change Category of the 2008 …

Parental Perceptions Of Body Mass Index Referrals And Overweight School-Age Children, Misty Schwartz

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

It is well documented that there is a worldwide epidemic of obesity in children. To address obesity in children, emphasis must be on factors within family, school, and community environments. Although most parents and school officials are aware of the problem of overweight children, there is little data available to guide decision making about the acceptability of school-based Body Mass Index (BMI) screening and referral programs. As states mandate BMI screening and referral, parental insight is essential to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of BMI notification.

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the perceptions of parents …

Developmental Asset Building In At-Risk Youth: A Mixed Methods Study, Kraig James Lofquist

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this mixed methods triangulation design study was to explore how “service learning” affects “at-risk” student’s overall level of Developmental Assets. Quantitative data were obtained by using a pre and post assessment. Specifically, the Developmental Asset Profile (DAP) was used to determine if “service learning” opportunities increased the overall levels of developmental assets experienced by the atrisk student group. Additionally, qualitative data were gained by interviewing service learning participants to supplement the quantitative data collected in the Developmental Asset Profile.

Participants included 37 “at-risk” youth who were selected to participate in a service learning program. The students selected …

Developing Processes And Criteria For External Reviews Of Scholarly Teaching, Paul Savory, Amy M. Goodburn

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This workshop explores theoretical questions and practical strategies for how to develop peer reviewers for faculty required to document their scholarly teaching. After reading two mini case-studies of how faculty have documented the intellectual work of their teaching, participants will engage in guided discussion about reviewing and assessing such work and about developing faculty communities equipped to do such work. Presenter(s) also will seek feedback on guidelines that they have developed for external reviewers of SOTL work.

Nebraskamath November 2009 Newsletter

NebraskaMATH Materials

NebraskaMATH November 2009 Newsletter

Table of Contents:

Common Core State Standards

NE Summit on Mathematics Education

NE Algebra accepts applications

NCTM seeks articles from teachers

New Central NE Math Teachers’ Circle

Highlight on Action Research

Resource: Teaching Teachers Mathematics

UNL Math Day on Nov. 12

Acuta Enews November 2009, Vol. 38, No. 11

ACUTA Newsletters

ln This Issue

From ACUTA Headquarters: Announcing ACUTA Connections ............Jeri Semer, CAE, Exec. Dir

Audio Seminar: "Cutting the Telecom Power Bill"

Deadline Approaching for Institutional Excellence Awards

Tech Talk: Forecast: Cloudy, with a Slight Chance of Lost Data? .............Kevin Tanzillo, Dux PR 3

UNC to Place Wind Turbines along the Outer Banks......................... From Campus technology News Update

DC Update ..........Dave Ostrom, Washington State University (retired)

lnfo Links................. Randy Hayes, Univ. of Northern lowa

Washington Update Newsletter for ACUTA Members

Bring Fall Seminar to Your Desktop 6 Remember: Nominate Now for 2010-2011 Board of Directors

Send Payments Direct to ACUTA

Addressing …

Does Theory Of Mind Mediate Aggression And Bullying In Middle School Males And Females?, Jami E. Givens

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between theory of mind, gender, physical aggression, relational aggression, and bullying. Specifically, this research study was guided by the question: Does theory of mind mediate the relations between gender and physical aggression, gender and relational aggression, and gender and bullying? Three main hypotheses were made following Baron and Kenny’s (1986) mediation model steps. The first hypothesis sought to identify whether gender differences existed in aggressive and bullying behaviors. Specifically, it was hypothesized that (a) adolescent females will endorse higher levels of relational aggression compared to adolescent males, (b) adolescent males …

The College Experience: Exploring The Relationships Among Student Socioeconomic Background, Experiences Of Classism, And Adjustment To College, Autumn Loreene Backhaus

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between 1) student Socioeconomic (SES) background and adjustment to college, 2) SES background and experiences of classism and 3) experiences of classism and adjustment to college. It was predicted that 1) students from low-SES backgrounds would be less well adjusted than their peers from higher-SES backgrounds, 2) students from low-SES backgrounds would report higher levels of experiences of classism than higher-SES peers and 3) experiences of classism at college would be negatively related to overall adjustment to college. Study participants were first year college students from a large Midwestern University. …

Learning Effects Of Examples Applied To College Algebra Student Interests, Carrie A. Campbell

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This mixed-methods investigation studied the learning effects of example problems based on college algebra student interests. The study spanned two semesters and included three groups of students. The first group was presented with algebraic procedural examples and assessments without context. The second group was presented with algebraic class examples in contexts related to student majors and hobbies, but assessments without context. The third group was presented with class examples in contexts related to student majors and hobbies and also assessments with context.

Learning growth as measured by performance scores on examinations was analyzed quantitatively. Student comments regarding learning progress were …

Graduate Connections- November 2009

Graduate Connections: A Newsletter for UNL Graduate Students

In This Issue:

Click on links to navigate the newsletter

Navigating Graduate School ...... 1

Seven Keys to Success

Non-Traditional Students

Keeping Connected at a Distance

Good Practices in Graduate Education ...................................... 5

Types of Plagiarism

Essential Connections .................. 6

Tips for Forming Your Supervisory Committee

Top Ten Teaching Mistakes

Improving Teaching through Student Feedback

Teaching Tip ................................. 8

MERLOT

Professional Development ......... 11

Writing a Research Article

Transferable Skills

Funding Opportunities ............... 16

Announcements .......................... 17

Fellowship Competition

Insurance for Grad Assistants

Student Accounts

Volunteer Opportunities

Interactions ................................. 18

Fellowship Winners

GSA News

Events .......................................... 19

NAGPS Conference

Calendar …

First Things First: Writing Strategies- Adages To Guide The Writing Adventure, Marilyn L. Grady

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

A book title attracted my attention as I rummaged through a new, offbeat bookstore. The book, Writing to Change the World, is written by the author of Reviving Ophelia, Mary Pipher. For those who have embraced the dis- cussion of social justice issues at recent academic conferences, the book of- fers the perspective of an author who has written extensively and successfully about social justice issues.

My "take aways" from the book, however, were in the chapters that of- fered reminders of the serious work of writing and the insights of well-known writers. Following are some comments from Pipher.

Pipher …