Outdoor Education Commons^™

What Are The Characteristics Of A Residential Summer Camp Setting That Allows For Campers To Develop As Leaders In Their Communities?, Bari Margolis

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This study is framed in the following question: Exploring the characteristics of summer camp that create leaders at camp and in their home communities. Findings will show that campers have learned confidence, how to support peers, were able to safely take risks, and become independent in residential summer camping environments. Findings will also show, campers and staff are now able to use those skills to help them in their lives outside of residential summer camping in many ways. In the course of eight interviews the researcher discovered how campers and staff members were able to find their niche or passion …

Natural Learning Environments And The Social-Emotional Development Of Students With Sensory Processing Challenges, Denise Elizabeth West

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This study examined the impact of a natural learning environment on the social-emotional development of students with Autism and/or Sensory Processing Disorder. For this research, social-emotional development consisted of social behavior, communication, and participation. The elements of a traditional classroom are characterized by confinement, harsh lighting/acoustics, and other habitual triggers for sensory discomfort. A natural learning environment can provide students with natural stimuli, fresh air, natural acoustics, natural lighting, etc. Additionally, the natural learning environment fosters a connection with nature, which research shows is important for the self-discovery, self-advocacy, and self-efficacy of all humans. Considering the artificial nature of the …

The Effects Of School-Based Tutoring On The Reading Scores Of Third Grade Students, Jenny Washington

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Reading below grade level in the third grade is a serious issue that too many students are facing. If struggling readers do not improve their reading skills prior to entering the fourth grade, they risk academic failure and limited success in the future. It is important, therefore, to get students who are not reading on grade level back on track as soon as possible. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine the effectiveness of tutoring for improving the reading skills of third graders. A sample population of 2,565 third graders from 43 Title I elementary schools in …

Integrating A Farm Study Into A Mixed Age Classroom, Rachel Kanegis

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper, Integrating A Farm Study Into A Mixed Age Classroom, explores the impact and benefits of integrating a farm study into a classroom. It reports on the course and the results of how students responded to the farm study over one full school year. In addition, it shows how the integrated farm study could be incorporated into the core academic topics such as reading, writing, math, social studies, and science. In fact, this paper proves how students become more motivated and engaged to learn in the core academic topics through their focus on the farm study. The class that …

From Page To Place: Wordless Picture Books And Field Trips For A 21st Century Curriculum, Margaret Stein

Graduate Student Independent Studies

With the purpose of education being to produce successful world citizens, the educational system must grow with the changing economic and social climate. Operating in a creative and knowledge-based economy, students educated in the 21st Century must be in an environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and recognition of complex patterns in order to thrive in the new economic structures. Proposing a curricular sequence using wordless picture books and field trips to develop and strengthen these skills, this paper focuses on the growth of literacy in all forms as the strongest foundation for creating curious and life-long learners. Utilizing the …

Expanding The Walls Of The Classroom: Difficulties And Successes In Expedition Based Learning, Jaime Evans

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

When planned and executed with purpose and precision, expedition based, experiential education can deepen student learning, increase engagement, and help close the achievement gap. Yet, this approach to education remains the exception, rather than the norm in a standard public high school setting. The purpose of this research project is to better understand the experiences that teachers and administrators have when planning and executing expeditions, and to explore the obstacles that prevent and/or inhibit teachers from teaching outside the classroom.

Fertile Ground: The Impact Of The Natural Learning Environment On The Social/Emotional Development Of Students With Autism And/Or Sensory Processing Disorder, Denise Elizabeth West

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

This research was carried out to determine the impact of a natural learning environment on the social/emotional development of students with Autism and/or Sensory Processing Disorder. For the sake of this research, social/emotional development consisted of social behavior, communication, and participation/engagement. A review of the literature revealed that students with sensory processing issues have difficulty processing stimuli which are unnatural and intensified. The acoustics and set-up of a traditional classroom are characterized by confinement, harsh lighting/volume conditions, and other habitual triggers for sensory discomfort. The natural learning environment can provide students with natural stimuli, fresh air, natural acoustics, natural lighting, …

From Outside To Online: Unanticipated Directions For Utah Master Naturalist, Mark Larese-Casanova, Jennifer Perkins

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Utah Master Naturalist is an award-winning Utah State University Extension program that promotes stewardship of Utah’s natural world through place-based, experiential field courses across the state. Although successful in eliciting positive short- and long-term impacts, Utah Master Naturalist’s traditional five-day field courses were unavailable to many students and instructors due to constraints of time and location. This case study examines Utah Master Naturalist’s first hybrid course, Desert Explorations, and describes the positive results from our pilot study, how a hybrid course solves availability issues, and how field-based learning theories can be adapted to online education through careful design.

Nebline, April 2018

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Can You Pass This Food Safety Quiz?

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

and other extension news and events

Special Pullout Section: Weed Awareness

Nature As The Teacher: Exploring The Development And Growth Of Nature Schools In The U.S., Emily Gehrdes

Community Engagement Student Work

Nature Schools are places in which achievement, curiosity, development, and inspiration transpire in natural environments. In the early 60’s, Nature Schools began to appear around the country. Since then, many such schools have appeared; today there are over two hundred nature schools throughout the US. Yet although a substantial amount of research has been done on nature schools, there exists no baseline or census exploring these programs’ strengths and weaknesses. This capstone research project investigated these schools’ policies, procedures, and curriculum through a multi-phase mixed-methods research design. Specifically, a national survey was distributed to the directors of approximately 140 U.S. …

Journeying The James: A Study Of A Multidisciplinary Environmental Education Program In The Non-Formal Sector, Ashley A. James

VA Engage Journal

Because the world is faced with an abundance of environmental problems, environmental education is essential in creating citizens that can solve them. Many studies show that when people are educated about the environment, they become environmental stewards. This paper investigates an experience and place-based environmental education program for high school students by the James River Association, a non-governmental organization in Richmond, Virginia. The study aims to identify whether or not the program meets the goals of environmental education, as well as its own goals. Fifty-four past program participants responded to an internet survey. Descriptive statistics and analysis of qualitative data …

Creating An Ecology Of Hope: Nature-Based Training To Increase Compassion And Collaboration In Building Sustainable Communities, Charlotte Herz

Capstone Collection

In an increasingly technological world, the human connection with nature is falling behind. Acts of violence are more prevalent in media and mainstream news reports. Environmental concerns and issues are in the fore-front of today’s policy debates. Yet, professional development opportunities that are being provided to a quickly changing work force are becoming stagnate. If technology is constantly improving why would teaching methods remain stagnate? I was drawn to the connection of nature’s inherent adaptability and the human’s desire to maintain the status quo. I chose to explore this idea through a training CLC so that I may apply the …

Interacting With The Trail: A Comprehensive Approach To Developing An Environmental Education Program For Agnolakely Private Nature Reserve, Claire Hamilton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Madagascar is a diverse island, biologically and geographically. This has led to the development of endemic species and high biodiversity within the landscape. Unfortunately, due to poverty, extraction of natural resources, and a growing population, these species have become threatened. Agnolakely, is a private nature reserve, located in eastern Madagascar that is trying to combat these challenges through reforestation projects and land protection. Agnolakely is not only of ecological value, but is also integral in the community structure. As Agnolakely expands it has become essential to implement education and outreach for the reserve. This study was designed to collect biological …

Cultivating A Culture Of Creativity – One Spam Carving At A Time!, Kasey L. Bozeman

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Educational researchers find that creativity and imagination are essential for learning, especially for difficult to reach students. How can you have a creativity-building activity that also develops critical social, emotional, and life skills for youth-at-risk populations? Educators from all areas can learn how to implement a series of creative challenges, such as mind puzzles, mystery games, and even Spam—yes, the canned meat—carving!

Converting Agricultural Lesson Plans To Be Common Core Compliant For Grades 3-5, Hattie Kaymarie Jameson, Brittany Rose Withnell

Agricultural Education and Communication

There are few Common Core approved lesson plans for teachers to incorporate into traditional science programs in California. The Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom (AITC) program provides K-12 educators lesson plans with an agricultural focus. Only 13 out of 45 of the lesson plans that the California AITC website offers are Common Core approved (Learn About Ag, 2017).

Agricultural literacy is valuable to consumers, can lead to careers in agriculture, and can create a greater understanding of the world and of science for students. The agricultural lessons give students a real life relationship with what they are learning and …

Nebline, March 2018

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Early Spring Care for Fruit Trees

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

and other extension news and events

Nebline, February 2018

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Teaches Limited-Resource Families Through Peer Education

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

and other extension news and events

Cmsc 2018: 4th Creative Mathematical Sciences Communication Conference, Frances Rosamond

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Join scientists, researchers, teachers, and artists in developing new ways of communicating mathematical and computational thinking. Welcome are contributions in art forms such as dance, graphic art, theatre, and the myriad of ways to communicate science to the public. The conference will feature keynote talks by leading researchers and communicators in the mathematical sciences, sharing their experience, new initiatives, and ideas. The conference will be held in Wellington, New Zealand, at The Learning Connexion (TLC) on 21--23 July 2018. The conference website is http://www.cmsc.nz.

Nebline, January 2018

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Extension 2017 Highlights

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Early Childhood

and other extension news and events

A Watershed Moment: Implementing State Environmental Literacy Policy Into A Central Virginia School District, Melinda J. Vandevelder

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

A WATERSHED MOMENT: IMPLEMENTING STATE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY POLICY INTO A CENTRAL VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT

By Melinda J. VanDevelder, Ph.D.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2018

Director: Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Educational Leadership

Policy goals may be impossible to achieve at the classroom level (Ravitch, 2014), as policy depends on those who implement it (Lipsky, 1980). The purpose of this research was to investigate how the voluntary environmental educational executive order, EO42, was implemented and executed in a Central Virginia …

Place Based Science & Climate Change Lessons For Middle And High Schoolers, Maizie Smith

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

These lessons were created for middle and high school aged students living in western Montana. They combine scientific inquiry and place based knowledge to teach climate change concepts.

Community College Campuses And Sexual Minorities: The Experience Of Lgbtq Students At Community Colleges, Baron Guy Wolf

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The purpose of this study was to examine national survey data from across the United States for respondents from two-year community colleges. Historically little empirical evidence exists in the literature about this population of students who identity as sexual minorities. The study begins with a historical overview of the LGBTQ rights movement. This provides a baseline for why studies including this invisible minority group are important and especially timely for two-year college campuses. Literature is barrowed from four-year college and university studies. Data were analyzed using the Rasch Partial Credit model. This analysis included testing for data-fit to the model, …

Residential Solar In Washington State, Sam Pfeifer

All Master's Theses

Electricity generated through residential solar provides a low carbon source of electricity. However, diffusion of residential solar remains low across the United States. Growing this diffusion takes an understanding of localized uptake trends, which can focus policy and business efforts to help increase residential solar market penetration. This is the first research to investigate residential solar uptake in Washington State and to examine environmental education as a potential driver of residential solar uptake. Through a snapshot analysis which considers environmental, economic, education, and cultural variables the present research fills this gap. Triangulated results include mapping of variables, ordinary-least squares multiple …

We Got This: Toward A Facilitator-Youth Apprenticeship Approach Supporting Collaboration And Design Challenges In Youth-Designed Mobile Location-Based Games, Sara Vogel, Judy Perry

Publications and Research

It's May at a New York City high school’s after-school program. We—the adult facilitators—have been guiding a group of youth to produce a location-based mobile game. The teens have worked dozens of hours and want to see a finished product. But with the final playtest coming soon, we are stuck. Reflecting on the most recent session with the participants, we realize that the game is far behind where it should be. Despite having already begun to code the game and write its interactive text, the game’s core mechanics are still only half-baked, and adjusting problematic real-world locations in the digital …

Organizational Culture And Outward Bound: Perspectives Of Instructors And Participants, Sophie M. Burns

Scripps Senior Theses

Outward Bound stands out amongst the rest of the wilderness organizations not only for its time-honored contribution to the field of wilderness education, but for its fundamental process and theories which contribute to its success. Academic attention in the field of wilderness programs largely overlooks the role of organizational culture. To fill the gap in our knowledge, this study synthesizes the academic conversation on Outward Bound programs and integrates it with the most consistent findings about organizational culture. Interviewing the participants and instructors of a 72-day long Outward Bound course conducted in 2015 provides clear insight into the role of …

Best Practices For Training New Communication Graduate Teaching Assistants, Melissa A. Broeckelman-Post, Kristina Ruiz-Mesa

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are often the first college instructors who new students meet when they arrive for their first day of class, and as instructors and as students, GTAs are the future of the discipline. As such, GTAs need to receive comprehensive training in a variety of pedagogical, procedural, and professional areas to help graduate students continue to develop as instructors and, eventually, into full-time faculty. To assist basic course directors, department chairs, and faculty in creating and supporting a comprehensive and ongoing GTA training program, this article provides 10 best practices for training new GTAs who will be …

Sustainability At Sit: A Look At The Past, A Plan For The Future, Taliesin Haugh

Capstone Collection

Climate change threatens our world and way of life. Intelligent development and investment could mitigate the worst threats of climate change, while simultaneously providing continuous growth for the global economy. The New Climate Economy proposes efforts to combat this ecological collapse that would result in $30 trillion in new annual economic growth by 2030. Stockholm Resilience Center agrees, giving a framework based on global ecological systems that calls for five critical tasks that can bring growth and stability: Renewable energy

Sustainable local food production

New development models, based on what has worked globally

Reduction of wealth inequity

Education, health, and …

Strengthening Identities And Involvement Of Aboriginal Children Through Learning On Country., Elizabeth M. Jackson-Barrett, Libby Lee-Hammond

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Djarlgarra Koolunger (Canning River kids) is a culturally centred outdoor learning project referred to as ‘On Country Learning’ or OCL. The project explores Aboriginal connectedness to the spiritual, social, cultural, environmental and geographic dimensions of particular outdoor spaces. This allows Indigenous and non- Indigenous students and their educators to connect at what Nakata (2007) terms the ‘cultural interface’. OCL offers opportunities to transform the ways in which schools engage with Aboriginal perspectives whilst facilitating deep learning through what we describe as culturally responsive pedagogies. This paper stories the journey of Aboriginal students and their teachers, engaging in learning that is …

"Perks And Produce Of The Panther Plot": A Multi-Component Program To Engage Uni First-Year Cornerstone Students In Local Foods, Gardening, And Food System Sustainability, Lauren Janning

Honors Program Theses

The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Panther Plot is an on-campus garden originally designed to provide university students with the opportunity to learn practical gardening skills and apply educational concepts concerning sustainable food systems (Aquilani, 2013). When implemented in 2013, the garden was expected to foster relationships and connections throughout the UNI community and offer a diverse learning experience in the pursuit of academic and civic excellence (Aquilani, 2013). Due to resource constraints, no activities have been undertaken to track objectives/indicators associated with the Panther Plot goals. After speaking with students, staff, and faculty associated with the functioning of the …

An Investigation Of Early Childhood Outdoor Play Areas And Social And Emotional Play, Brandy A. Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The earliest early childhood programs were thought of as a garden for children or kindergarten (Snider, 1900). The father of kindergarten, Frederick Froebel (1885), considered the garden space critical in early childhood programs. While there is an understanding of the importance of outdoor play for young children, many current issues and challenges have drastically reduced the amount of time children spend in the outdoor environment (Kuh, Ponte, & Chau, 2013). Much of the time children do spend outside is devoted to physical movement, often in environments with traditional manufactured playground equipment (Czalczynska-Podolska, 2014). Outdoor play holds potential for multi-dimensional (Nedovic …