Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Literacy-Based Action Research: Strategies For Improving Student Achievement, Anne Katz Ph.D., Deborah Jaudon, Danielle Russell, Jennifer Formby

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The presentation will highlight literacy-based action research projects by three Reading Specialist M.Ed. graduate students. The topics of enhancing struggling readers’ vocabulary development using technology; effects of technology during summer school on student promotion; as well as infusion of dialogue and metacognitive strategies to promote self-efficacy and early reading success were explored. Tools for attendees to implement the process of action research in their own classroom will be outlined.

Literacy For Life: Daily Reading Effectively Promotes Success (Reps), Karen Washington, Terecia Gill

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Literacy is at the heart of basic education and essential for eradicating poverty, achieving equality, and ensuring that all students have the opportunity for lifelong success. Administrators, instructional coaches, and teachers will be fascinated by the simple, but effective strategy for improving the literacy skills of students at risk through authentic, highly-engaging daily “REPS” activities in every class.

Building A Better Risk Prevention Model, Steven Hornyak

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This presentation chronicles the work of Houston County Schools in developing a risk prevention model built on more than ten years of longitudinal student data. In its second year of implementation, Houston At-Risk Profiles (HARP), has proven effective in identifying those students most in need of support and linking them to interventions and supports that lead to improved outcomes and significantly reduces the risk of failure.

A Teaching-Learning Grant Initiative: Developing The Critical Literacy Instructional Abilities Of Pre-Service Educators, Anne Katz Ph.D., Vivian Bynoe

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Pre-service educators in a section of "Exploring Socio-Cultural Perspectives on Diversity in Educational Contexts" were introduced to the concept of critical literacy. Throughout the course of the semester, students were provided with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of this framework through a series of discussions around the young adult novel, Does My Head Look Big in This? (Abdel-Fattah, 2008). Guest speakers— in the form of a local high school student who recently began wearing a hijab to school, as well as a visiting scholar who specializes in critical literacy—expanded students’ perspectives. Results of a pre and post-test, as well …

Bull's Eye - Hitting The Target For Every Student!, Dianne M. Connolly Mrs., Sara Hastings Mrs.

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Hitting the reading target for every student requires precision, skill and practice. Learn how a dedicated Professional Learning Community of teachers, support staff, administration, and specialist created a targeted Tiered Reading System for all students. Shared mission + shared responsibility = shared success. Pentucket Lake school was recognized by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education for their extensive turnaround work and closing the achievement gap. Participants will leave this session with the tools, videos, and training to implement this targeted instruction.

Entrepreneurship Education Empowers Youth To Change Their Lives, Marianna Brashear, Jason Riddle

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) aims at equipping Title 1 schools with free, hands-on, engaging materials that any teacher can facilitate either individually or in a classroom setting with no background in entrepreneurship necessary. These versatile lessons, courses, and workshops teach the entrepreneurial mindset optimizing opportunities for grades 8-12 students no matter which life/career path they choose.

Problem-Based Learning In The Life Science Classroom, K–12, Theresa Cullen, Cat D. Jackson

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

No abstract provided.

A Look At Emotional Intelligence: A Qualitative Study Of Peer Mentorship Via Circle Of Friends, Christopher De Loach

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of former Circle of Friends (CoF) nondisabled peer mentors of students with multiple disabilities to discover how this mentorship program impacted Daniel Goleman’s four dimensions of emotional intelligence.

Methodology: This study employed a qualitative phenomenological design. In qualitative designs, the researcher seeks to welcome the subject’s voice into a chorus that contributes to the summative ballad of the sample. The researcher must seek to be a neutral conduit that captures those voices. Thus, the researcher in this study interviewed 14 former peer friends from the CoF program …

Problem-Based Learning In The Life Science Classroom, K–12 [Book Review], Cat D. Jackson, Theresa A. Cullen

Faculty Publications - Curriculum & Instruction

No abstract provided.

Changing The Music: Understanding Educational Obstacles For Youth In Foster Care, Amie J. Stearns, Iyc

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Due to increased tendency of children in foster care placements to perform poorly in school and to become involved with the juvenile justice system, there is a dire need for school districts to improve support systems for this vulnerable student group. This presentation may be of most interest to conference attendees as it explores the specific barriers which may hinder educational success for youth in foster care.

The School Of Belonging: A Culture Building Process For Schools And Classrooms, David A. Levine

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The School of belonging focuses on social and emotional culture building within the school and classroom settings. In this session we will explore the most effective ways to engage students and build community, by implementing diverse teaching methods while creating an emotionally safe school free from bullying and other low-level forms of aggressive behaviors.

Why Peer Intervention Is Viable, Cynthia L. Morton, Antoinette Dunstan, Candice Anderson, Monica Seeley

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Welcome to the "Age of Indifference". Unfortunately, our culture is so busy looking at our own problems and issues that we have systematically stopped caring about others. However, if our culture would embrace a system based on collaboration and compassion, we may lessen many social and psychological issues that impact youth today.

Motivate My Mindset: Teachers, Parents And Students Setting Their Minds On Achievement, Growth And Excellence!, Stephanie Leggett

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

We have heard that the 'mind is a terrible thing to waste'. This session supports where the ‘Mind is set Matters Most!’ Activities and strategies that K-12 teachers and parents can implement will aid a diverse student population to have growth mindsets that are set for A.G.E. – Achievement, Growth, and Excellence despite the subject or task!

Mirrors & Maps: Using Ya Literature To Navigate Risks In Adolescent Life, Lesley Roessing

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

YA literature allows adolescents to mirror themselves in books, safely discussing problems in their lives through conversations about how characters handle/mishandle problems. Novels provide maps to navigate risks and issues experienced by teens. The presenter, a former middle-grades teacher and author of No More “Us” and “Them,” teaches Bibliotherapy and will share Young Adult novels/memoirs and strategies that focus discussions on risks contemporary adolescents face.

Strategic Leadership Newsletter: Volume 4, Number 1, Larry M. Starr Phd

Leadership Doctorates Newsletter (Formerly Strategic Leadership Newsletter)

Jefferson Strategic Leadership Newsletter reports information relevant to the Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) Doctor of Management Program in Strategic Leadership (DSL) and its community including personal and professional events and accomplishments, new practices, research, opportunities, and suggestions.

Track 1 – Clean Workshop, Illinois Mathematics And Science Academy

Professional Learning Day

The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Portal was launched in 2010 as a National Science Digital Library Pathways project. It is led by the science education expertise of TERC, the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science (CIRES) at the University of Colorado Boulder, and the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College. As of 2012, CLEAN has been syndicated to NOAA's climate.gov portal. CLEAN's primary effort is to steward the collection of climate and energy science educational resources and to support a community of professionals committed to improving climate and energy literacy. Participants will spend their …

Track 2 – Environment Design Sprint Challenge, Britta W. Mckenna, Carl Heine

Professional Learning Day

Using Paul Hawkens, “Drawdown – The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming”, as a starting point, participants will take on the question of “What Can I do?” in developing actionable plans and prototypes in a design sprint challenge. Using BOSI DNA to identify areas of team strength, teams will work together to design the most innovative solutions to improve planet resiliency from climate impact. Culminating presentations conclude the event with an overall innovation and impact winner.

Session 3d: Wind Energy, Mark Carlson, Angela Ahrendt, Nicole Ross

Professional Learning Day

Design, construction, and testing will occur in two stages involving blade shape and number followed by wind tracking and generator gearing. Three NGSS Engineering Standards (Global Issue, Problem Breakdown, and Optimization) are directly addressed. Scientific concepts include circuitry, power, mechanical advantage, and rotational motion.

Session 3c: Building A Microbial Fuel Cell, Peter Clancy, Joe Golab, Patrick Young

Professional Learning Day

This project introduces students to the science behind MFCs and provides a practical demonstration about this type of renewable energy technology. The technology produces electricity from the byproduct of bacteria breaking down organic matter. The Alternative Energy Module addresses four Engineering NGSS standards as well as global issues such as energy supply and demand, climate change, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. A microbial fuel cell (MFC) aligns with a United Nations Sustainability Goal, i.e. Clean Energy.

Session 3b: Stress....What Is It And How Do I Fix It, Sowmya Anjur, Mary Myers

Professional Learning Day

Join us in learning about stress, its causes, its signs and symptoms and methods for preventing, coping with and/or relieving stress. Popular mind-body fitness methods such as Yoga, Pilates, Qi Gong, and Tai Chi will be examined and performed within this session.

Session 3e: Teaching Using Un Sustainable Development Goals, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Professional Learning Day

This session will focus on how we are using the UN Sustainable Development Goals as guideposts for curriculum development in several of our different science classes. Students will join us to present some of their varied academic work, and share the importance of these activities in their education. Part of our discussion will focus on scaffolding the learning so that students are able to perform successfully in these contextual and issues-based activities. We will also build in time for participant discussion on current issues and ideas for incorporating them effectively into their own teaching.

Session 3h: Learning Progressions Of Elementary Data And Measurement, Karen Togliatti

Professional Learning Day

The foundation for formal statistical and probability concepts is laid in the early grades through investigating both categorical and measurement data. Join us for a quick trip through the progression of categorical data and measurement data analysis from kindergarten through fifth-grade. Example tasks will be provided.

Session 2b: Building A Telescope, Peter Clancy, Brooke Schmidt

Professional Learning Day

This is a project suitable for a physics class that covers geometric optics. Students tasked with this project assignment use these principles to select lenses to create a telescope with adequate magnification to read a target with lines of text of successively smaller font sizes. Students also learn how to characterize the telescope by measuring the lens focal lengths, and determining the theoretical magnification and tube. Educators attending this workshop will be given a brief lesson on telescope optics, and will be given the opportunity to select lenses, construct a telescope, and use it to read the target.

Session 2d: Mathematical Play, Karen Togliatti

Professional Learning Day

Our youngest students are equipped with the skills and practices needed to be successful mathematicians. That is, they are curious, creative and innovative. Given the opportunity to engage in mathematical play, students are encouraged to take risks, pursue their own questions, and naturally investigate mathematics. Research shows that this practice is beneficial for all students, regardless of grade level. So, come and play!

Session 1d: Mathematicians Take Risks, Karen Togliatti

Professional Learning Day

The field of mathematics is driven by problems that currently have no known solution. In order to understand these types of problems, mathematicians take risks. They try novel approaches, inventing new mathematics along the way. In much the same way, we want students to be able to take mathematical risks to generate their own mathematical understanding. Join us for a discussion of how to empower our students to become risk-takers in the classroom.

Session 1e: Nuclear Energy: Then, Now And The Future, Peter Dong, Eric Hawker, Elizabeth Martinez

Professional Learning Day

Nuclear power is one of the most feared and misunderstood energy sources available, and its unique advantages - extraordinary power production with no emissions - weigh against its disadvantages - possibility of meltdowns, difficulty of waste disposal, and potential weaponization. This session will explore some of the basics of nuclear power through a variety of interactive activities for students and give an overview of the economics and risks associated with nuclear power. It will also discuss potential future technologies, including fusion, and how they would change worldwide energy production.

Session 1f: Daphnia Magna And Water Monitoring, Julie Polz, Karen Togliatti, Angela Ahrendt

Professional Learning Day

Daphnia Magna, also known as water fleas, are commonly used in water toxicity studies since they are very sensitive to chemical changes in their environment, which make them good organisms to use in water quality testing. We will be testing the effect of six environmental pollutants on the Daphnia heart rate using a microscope, and then measuring their response to each of these pollutants.

A Cultured Learning Environment: Implementing A Problem- And Service-Based Microbiology Capstone Course To Assess Process- And Skill-Based Learning Objectives, Rachel M. Watson, John D. Willford, Mariel A. Pfeifer

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

In this study, a problem-based capstone course was designed to assess the University of Wyoming Microbiology Program’s skill-based and process-based student learning objectives. Students partnered with a local farm, a community garden, and a free downtown clinic in order to conceptualize, propose, perform, and present studies addressing problems experienced by these partners. Instructor assessments enabled understanding of student competencies, and according to external subject matter experts students demonstrated mastery of all learning objectives on the final research presentation. Community partners were completely satisfied with the students’ solutions, professionalism, and communication. Instructional diagnosis and student course evaluations showed satisfaction, engagement, and …

Fishing For Answers: Barriers To Secondary Agricultural English Course Adoption, Sydney Arlene Keen

Agricultural Education and Communication

Wamba (2012) said, “...literacy education plays an important role in moving people out of poverty toward greater self-sufficiency post-graduation” (p. 109). Nearly 47% of first-time California community college students are enrolled in remedial English coursework (Student Success, 2015). Further, California high school dropout rates are at 11% due to “school-related reasons…implying a lack of engagement and lack of perceived relevance” in curriculum (Gottfried & Plasman, 2017, p. 30). Literacy in our high school classrooms must be addressed.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) coursework has been linked to lower dropout rates; particularly in grades 11 and 12 (Gottfried & Plasman, 2017). …

Building Place Value Understanding Through Modeling And Structure, Jonathan L. Brendefur, Sam Strother, Kelli Rich

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Place value is a concept in which students in elementary school struggle and instruction and curricular materials continue to introduce and teach place value in a disconnected fashion. This study introduced place value through a modeling perspective, focusing specifically on using the bar model to represent units and quantity. The investigation piloted a place value module highlighting the use of the bar model in four first grade classrooms with high percentages of diverse learners, many from low-income families and with limited English language proficiency. The results indicated students successfully described the differences between units of 1 and 10 and could …