Creative Writing in the Social Studies Classroom: Improving Student Achievement

The purpose of this action research project was to determine whether or not utilizing creative writing prompts within the social studies classroom helped improve student achievement in the social studies content area. Quantitative data was collected through exit tickets that students completed in a fifth-grade social studies classroom. Analysis of the data did not conclusively suggest that the creative writing intervention had a significant impact, either positive or negative, on student achievement. Throughout the course of this study, additional questions arose that could be the basis for further research in the future

Attachment, self and social knowledge, and distress in psychosis: a research portfolio

Background/Aims: People with a diagnosis of psychosis often experience stigmatising social encounters. These social encounters may influence the beliefs people hold, as research suggests that people develop a range of processes in an attempt to interpret information about both themselves and others. The internalisation of negative stereotypes about psychosis is one process used to explain how people's beliefs are influenced. Cognitive models highlight the relationship between self and social knowledge and mood. How people process social information might therefore have an important role in pathways to distress in psychosis. There is limited understanding of how different expressions of emotional distress might relate to the processing of social information. This research portfolio therefore has two aims. Firstly it aims to systematically review literature on the relationship between internalised stigma and distress for people with a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis. It also aims to explore the relationship between attachment style, reflective functioning, personal beliefs about illness, and emotional distress in people who experience psychosis. Method: These two aims are addressed through two studies. The first study is reported in Chapter 1, where literature exploring the relationship between internalised stigma and measures of emotional distress was systematically reviewed. For this review, a search of electronic databases was conducted, included studies were assessed for quality, and results were outlined through a narrative synthesis. The empirical project reported in Chapter 2 employed a cross-sectional design to gather quantitative data from people who had a diagnosis related to psychosis. Mediation modelling was then used to explore cognitive appraisals as mediatory variables between attachment anxiety and emotional distress whilst controlling for psychotic symptomatology as a potential confounding variable. Results: Thirty studies were included in the systematic review, with over half of these being cross-sectional in design. Systematic review findings indicate a significant association between internalised stigma and depression, however the association with other measures of distress was inconsistent. Limited data was therefore available regarding the utility of cognitive interventions focusing upon internalised stigma for improving symptoms of distress in psychosis. Results from the empirical study indicate associations between attachment anxiety, cognitive appraisals, and emotional distress but not reflective functioning. Personal beliefs about illness regarding shame and control were found to mediate the relationship between attachment anxiety and distress. Conclusions: When reviewed systematically the relationship between internalised stigma and distress remained unclear. This is due in part to methodological limitations of included studies which did not allow the exploration of whether these negative beliefs about the self in relation to others around them leads to distress. However, findings from the empirical study suggested personal beliefs about illness could influence the relationship between attachment and emotional distress. Future interventions focusing upon internalised stigma as a vehicle for improving symptoms of distress in psychosis might therefore target perceptions of shame and control whilst recognising a wider range of outcomes for distress

A Relationship Built to Impact Instruction: Developing and Sustaining Productive Partnerships Between Mathematics Specialists and Principals

How does the mathematics specialist provide a profound and lasting impact on instruction? We believe that a productive partnership between the principal and specialist, which we will call the principal-specialist relationship, is at the crux of the matter. When the principal-specialist relationship is built upon a foundation of a shared vision, clear roles, communication, and trust, both the teachers and students in the school benefit. We will explore the impact of the principal-specialist relationship on teacher success during the era of distance learning as necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to explore how these ideas come alive in the field, we gathered survey responses and conducted personal interviews with mathematics specialists in a variety of roles. This article examines ways in which the principal-specialist relationship supports successful mathematics instruction beginning with a review of contemporary literature. In the form of short vignettes throughout the paper, we illustrate the roles of the mathematics specialist and how those roles were adapted for online learning environments. Our findings revealed that a unifying vision for mathematics instruction is essential for attaining maximum impact on student achievement

Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status - selected topics 2023

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have lived on their traditional lands across Australia, including the Torres Strait Islands, for upwards of 50,000 years and their continuity, history and cultural traditions are unrivalled in the world [1,2] . Before colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in family and community groups, and moved across the land following seasonal changes [1] . Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people developed complex societies, trading systems and agricultural activities that were celebrated and recorded in dance, song and stories [2] . The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander concept of health is not just about the individual person, but a whole-of-life view that includes the social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the community [3] . ..

Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2022

The main purpose of the Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status (Overview) is to provide a comprehensive summary of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Overview has been prepared by HealthInfoNet staff as part of our contribution to supporting those who work in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector. The Overview is a key indicator of the HealthInfoNet’s commitment to authentic and engaged knowledge development and exchange. The initial sections of this Overview provide information about the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population, and various measures of population health status. The subsequent sections are about specific health conditions and risk/protective factors that contribute to the overall health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These sections comprise an introduction about the condition and evidence of the current status of the condition or risk/protective factor and burden of disease. Information is provided for states and territories, Indigenous Regions and remoteness, and for demographics such as sex and age when it is available and appropriate..

Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2023

The main purpose of the Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status (Overview) is to provide a comprehensive summary of the most recent indicators of the health and current health status of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Overview has been prepared by HealthInfoNet staff as part of our contribution to supporting those who work in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector. The Overview is a key indicator of the HealthInfoNet’s commitment to authentic and engaged knowledge development and exchange. The initial sections of this Overview provide information about the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, population, and various measures of population health status. The subsequent sections are about specific health conditions and risk/protective factors that contribute to the overall health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These sections comprise an introduction about the condition and evidence of the current status of the condition or risk/protective factor and burden of disease. Information is provided for states and territories, Indigenous Regions and remoteness, and for demographics such as sex and age when it is available and appropriate. While it provides a comprehensive review of key indicators across a range of health topics, it is beyond the scope of this Overview to provide detailed information on other aspects, such as the availability and use of services (including barriers and enablers to their use) and strategies and policies related to specific health topics. Interested readers should refer to the topic-specific reviews that are available on the HealthInfoNet’s website. Additional, more in-depth information about the topics summarised in this Overview is included in the corresponding sections of the HealthInfoNet’s website. The key to successful knowledge exchange and transfer is authentic partnership in the development of materials, so we welcome your comments and feedback about the Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status, 2023