Youth Development in Costa Rica

Field Placement Experience, Summer 2017 -- Cartago, Costa Rica -- Partner Agencie(s): Cross Cultural Solutions; Escuela San Blashttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138971/1/Gray_Poster.pd

The \u27Happiest Corner\u27 of London: Bethnal Green, 1881-1951

The social question of the Victorian age centered on poverty: the who; the what; and most importantly, the why of poverty. By the end of the nineteenth century, the why had been obscured by a search for the causes of overcrowding, epidemics, starvation, sanitation, and unemployment, all seen as symptoms of poverty but often confused as causes of poverty. Bethnal Green was emblematic of all of these conditions, and many social experiments were conducted to alleviate these symptoms. With the evacuation of London during World War II, as well as the mass destruction of buildings in Bethnal Green, overcrowding was finally alleviated. Bethnal Green fell into worse conditions, however, as war-torn buildings were left to rot, and movement into the area was tightly controlled. The massive social movements which had been enacted in Bethnal Green prior to the war lost steam as national attention was directed elsewhere. The model dwellings, tenements, and philanthropic institutions carried on, but at a considerably reduced volume. This work explores the social, cultural, institutional, and civic efforts made to alleviate overcrowding and sanitation issues in Bethnal Green from 1881 to 1950. Local and national perspectives of these efforts are offered, with the idea of putting a human face to the epidemic of poverty. Many of the civic and philanthropic efforts were misguided, as they destroyed kinship networks, limited movement of the people, and involuntarily displaced residents to locations far from their employment. Local identity, at times a boon and a curse, was destroyed as well. Bethnal Green held a place in history as the epitome of the slums, slum clearance, and the efforts to alleviate poverty. Many aspects of poverty and the efforts to alleviate it have been explored, but in broad terms. This is a study of local effects of these efforts on a designated area of London, with a specific and definable people, with cultural and social aspects which were unique to the area

Using IPE to develop understanding of sensitive issues.

This poster provides an overview of a project that aimed to raise awareness of female genital mutilation. The poster summarises the context, objectives, methodology and impact of the project, which was undertaken in 2015 at Robert Gordon University, exploiting interprofessional education and third-sector expertise

Shadow Puppet Plays in Elementary Science Methods Class Help Preservice Teachers Learn about Minority Scientists

This practical article describes an arts-integrated project with engineering design and science concepts from the Next Generation Science Standards, art principles from the National Arts Standards, as well as ideas under the theme of “Culture” from the National Council for the Social Studies Standards. Preservice teachers in an undergraduate science methods class researched the background, life, and accomplishments of a minority scientist by reading books and articles about the person. They created a script to present the experiences and contributions of the scientist to other preservice teachers and, eventually, elementary students. Shadow puppets were constructed out of cardboard to portray different aspects of the scientist’s setting and work communicated by the script. The preservice teachers performed the shadow puppet shows for their peers, receiving feedback. Examples of the puppet show scripts and models of puppets are included in this article

Literacy and Arts-Integrated Science Lessons Engage Urban Elementary Students in Exploring Environmental Issues

This descriptive case study examined student attitudes, writing skills and content knowledge of urban fourth and fifth graders (6 males, 9 female) during a six-week literacy, thinking skill, and art-integrated environmental science unit. Pre- and post- test questions were used to address knowledge of environmental problems and student environmental actions. Students expressed knowledge and suggestions for positive action of youth through four essays throughout the unit, the final essay being accompanied by a pop-up construction. Writings showed steady growth in number of words, sentences, suggested environmental actions for youth, and instances of discussing consequences and sequels of actions. Students were engaged, collaborative, and reported implementing positive environmental actions

Upper Elementary Students Creatively Learn Scientific Features of Animal Skulls by Making Movable Books

Arts integration in science has benefits of increasing student engagement and understanding. Lessons focusing on form and function of animal skulls provide an effective example of how handicrafts integrated with science instruction motivate students and support learning. The study involved students ages 9-12 during a week-long summer day camp. Students applied animal skull concepts of eye positions of predators and prey, relative eye sizes of nocturnal animals compared to tunnel-dwellers, shapes and functions of different types of teeth, and terminology and functions of different bones, openings, and structures of animal skulls in making moveable book pages. These pages featured pop-up constructions, a lift-the-flap page, and a turning wheel behind cut-out windows in a page to convey the skull concepts. Additional creativity was incorporated through making a three-dimensional cover related to the Mexican Day of the Dead with skulls made from pieces of recycled plastic bottles, drawing figural-transformations, and creating animal skull models from household or discarded materials. The lessons included classification of images of skull features on cards and examination of realistic animal skull models. Pretest-posttest science content results indicated large gains with a very large effect size; attitude surveys and student work showed high motivation and creativity

Making Dioramas of Women Scientists Help Elementary Students Recognize Their Contributions

The STEM movement encourages girls to consider careers in science; however, for success, common misconceptions and biases need to be dispelled, while females’ spatial thinking skills are developed. All students, both girls and boys, need exposure to the accomplishments of women scientists to appreciate their contributions and to envision females as successful scientists. This one-week study conducted during a summer day camp examined upper elementary student (n = 15; 7 females, 8 males) attitudes toward science, women in science, and the possibility of a science career before and after participation in learning about diverse accomplished women scientists and making a diorama showcasing the professional work and caring actions of one of the scientists. The efficacy of this project for upper elementary students, conducted during a summer day camp, is supported by pretest-posttest data and attitude surveys. The five-day class showed positive changes in student plans for a career in science and improved attitudes toward the importance of females becoming scientists. Directions for constructing dioramas, examples of student-made work, and creative scenes made with given craft items are provided

Students Explore Fossil Creatures of the Cambrian Period Burgess Shale through Model-Making

This practical article features an arts-integrated science unit on fossils of the Burgess Shale for fourteen elementary/ middle school students at a weeklong summer day camp. The day camp had a theme of recycling, reduction and reuse; all of the fossil models had substantial recycled components to support this theme. Next Generation Science Standards were supported by the course activities in which students examined fossil specimens, images, and comparative modern relatives to determine the anatomy and lifestyles of Burgess Shale Cambrian Period fossil animals (e.g., Olenoides trilobites, Anomalocaris, Canadaspis, Opabinia, Wiwaxia, Hallucigenia) through making scientific drawings and craft models (3-LS4-1), interpreting the environments in which they thrived by creating a diorama (3-LS4-3), considering how populations change as the environment changes (3-LS4-4), and creating a model of a fossil animal using only recycled plastic bottles, lids, pipe cleaners, beads, and sheet foam (3-5 ETS1-1). Students greeted the activities with great enthusiasm, demonstrating their learning of science content by eventually excelling at a fossil hunter game in which people related to paleontology were connected with their fossil finds or products and through responses to oral questions. Plans, results, and example student products document this effective arts-integrated science and engineering unit. Students expressed pride and excitement regarding their creations. Students engaged socially as they excitedly showed one another their creations and discussed their design choices

Fossil Mobiles: Exploring the Process of Art as Science Inquiry for Elementary Students through a Grounded Theory Study

Arts integration into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subject areas is currently an important area of investigation. This study developed a grounded theory of how artmaking of a mobile related to fossil life of the Devonian period engendered geoscience inquiry. Data were collected from elementary students entering fourth to sixth grade (7 male, 9 female) attending a week-long summer camp at a Midwestern university. Students engaged in a daily hour-long class creating fossil mobiles and learning geoscience content through illustrated slide shows, form and function sets of materials related to Devonian fossils, fossil books, and a fossil hunter- fossil find matching game. The art fossil mobile was constructed of painted dowel rods suspended from a beaded string with four craft fossils (traced onto clear plastic and back-painted or stenciled onto canvas) attached to the ends of the rods. The grounded theory research design identified seven major repeating interactions among the triad of art, science, and students: (1) art promoting science inquiry, (2) art aspects positively influencing science learning, (3) science learning increasing interest in fossils, (4) science influencing art, (5) student-centered artwork increasing desire for more art knowledge, (6) student-centered art providing connections to science, and (7) student-centered science increasing interest in fossils. Implications for educators include integrating art activities into science lessons, thereby providing engagement and motivation for students, supporting students’ fine motor skills development, and building a community of learners. Geoscience educators should consider the positive cyclical effects of art-science-student interactions identified in this study