Title IX Then and Now at Old Dominion University: Listening for the Echoes

Old Dominion University celebrates its pioneering role in addressing the landmark federal gender equity legislation known as Title IX, noting with pride that it was among the first universities in the country to offer scholarships for female studentathletes. What the popular portrayal of Old Dominion as a trailblazer misses is the internal struggle over gender-equity issues within the University at the time Title IX was being implemented. A 1975 letter discovered in the Old Dominion University Archives and Special Collections provides unique insight into that conflict, and offers an opportunity to analyze the University’s commitment to gender equity through both a historical and modern lens. A hermeneutical analysis of the 40-year-old letter was used to inform a question line for six modern-day female administrators at the University. Echoes of 1975 are plentiful in their words, and offer new insight into how gender-equity struggles have changed through the decades in higher education

Embracing Alternatives to Homework in Early Childhood: Research and Pedagogies

Providing readers with a robust, practical understanding of how young children build knowledge, this book offers a critical examination of the ways traditional homework fails young children, and how alternatives can better build collaborative engagement with families while supporting learning across all content areas. Grounded in culturally sustaining practices, the first section breaks down the pedagogies that support deep learning, while later chapters emphasize the role of critical and creative thinking, project-based learning, and student choice in the development of engaging, personally relevant home learning experiences. Embracing Alternatives to Homework in Early Childhood is a critical text for anyone seeking to reimagine homework practices as both equitable and agency-building in PreK-3. [From the publisher]https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_books/1035/thumbnail.jp

Provoking Curiosity: Student-Led Steam Learning for Pre-K to Third Grade

Provoking Curiosity brings new and easy-to-execute STEAM learning experiences that encourage children to think, explore, and wonder. Each exploration builds on core ideas in the STEAM disciplines, develops higher-level thinking skills, and uses readily available materials in early childhood classrooms. … [Amazon.com]https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_books/1030/thumbnail.jp

Creative Investigations in Early Engineering and Technology

Early childhood teachers continue to seek activities that promote STEM-based learning. But most STEM books focus on science and math, excluding technology and engineering. Creative Investigations in Early Engineering and Technology helps teachers create a more well-rounded STEM learning program. … [From Amazon.com]https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_books/1020/thumbnail.jp

Creative Investigations in Early Art

While the visual and performing arts are powerful curricular companions to early STEM experiences, educators may not have the tools and resources to introduce art beyond painting and drawing. Creative Investigations in Early Art provides them with an inquisitive, explorative approach to boost young learners, creativity and critical-thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills through artistic expression. … [Amazon.com]https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_books/1019/thumbnail.jp

Creative Investigations in Early Science

Young children are born scientists with an innate desire to analyze and investigate the world around them. Creative Investigations in Early Science helps educators expand and encourage young learners inquisitive nature as they explore the physical, life, and earth sciences. [From Amazon.com]https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_books/1021/thumbnail.jp

Participatory Research with Young Children

This book presents a guiding framework for designing and supporting participatory research with young children. The volume shares detailed approaches to research designs that support collaborative work with young children and teachers in a wide range of early learning environments. It presents conceptual and ethical considerations for participatory work, and explores children’s agency through engagement in participatory practices. It examines challenges to accepted practices and understandings of young children, and discusses the analysis and dissemination of participatory work with children. In doing so, the book informs readers about the conceptual understandings and methodological approaches that can be used to support participatory research investigations where the young child is viewed as knowledgeable and capable of sharing unique opinions, interpretations, and understandings of her experiences as embedded within social, cultural, and political worlds. The book sets the stage for early childhood researchers and educators to develop new understandings grounded in post-developmental, critical, and social constructivist theories while exploring supportive methodological approaches. [From the back cover]https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_books/1031/thumbnail.jp

The Examination of a Pullout STEM Program for Urban Upper Elementary Students

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a pullout STEM program (STARBASE) makes reading and math scores decrease and examine its impact on urban fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students\u27 attitudes and perceptions regarding STEM education and careers. We employed a mixed-methods, case study approach that involved two published and one indigenous instrument composed of Likert scales, semantic differential scales, and open-ended items, along with structured interviews. Results indicate that it is possible for reading, math, and social studies scores to be unaffected when implementing a STEM pullout program, as adjusted trends (for ethnicity and socioeconomic status) are not statistically different from those of non-STARBASE school divisions in the area. Additionally, the Black/White achievement gap, as measured by standardized test scores, was substantially closed over the last decade within STARBASE schools. Quantitative measures revealed few differences in student attitudes from pre- to posttest. Student qualitative responses were overwhelmingly positive. Students wanted more STARBASE time in the regular school year. Students, particularly Black students, also wanted an increase in career education opportunities. Implications regarding curricular changes aimed at STEM education and model adoption are addressed. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht