43 research outputs found
A comparative evaluation of physical activity in home school and public school children
Get PDFResearch on children\u27s physical activity indicates that children may not be getting sufficient amounts of physical activity. Much of the research has utilized samples from public schools but little research has been done on the growing population of home school children. This series of studies examines the relationship among the psychosocial correlates of physical activity (Attraction to PA, Perceived Competence, and Parental Influence) between home school and public school children, and their levels and patterns of physical activity. Trends were found for the psychosocial correlates of physical activity, with public school children scoring higher on all three measures than home school children. The findings also indicate a difference in levels of physical activity, although the difference may depend on the assessment tool used to measure physical activity. It is also possible that home school and public school children engage in different types of activities, which may be more identifiable with either a self-report or objective measure. Additionally, the results indicate that Attraction to Physical Activity accounts for the greatest amount of variance in physical activity. This suggests that the more enjoyable the activity is for children, the more likely they may be to participate. It is difficult to draw definitive conclusions from these studies due to inherent differences that may exist between home school and public school parents, as well as the structure of the school day. Future studies should explore the differences that may exist between home school and public school parents, the typical day for home school and public school children, and explore additional correlates, such as motor skills
Experimentation with Two Formulas by Ramanujan
Get PDFSrinivasa Ramanujan was a brilliant mathematician, considered by George Hardy to be in the same class as Euler, Gauss, and Jacobi. His short life, marred by illness and tragic educational events, was unique in the history of mathematics. Mathematical discoveries are still being gleaned from his personal notebooks. Paper was a hard commodity to come by so his notebooks were a cluttered mix of pen over pencil mathematical hieroglyphics. The following highlights Ramanujan’s life in connection with Hardy, his work with ellipses, and his work with the partition function
Tallgrass Prairie Remnants of Western Iowa Cemeteries.
Get PDFTallgrass prairie remnants situated in eight western Iowa cemeteries were sampled during 1995 and 1996 to compare both the frequency and season of mowing and burning on plant species composition. Dominant, native tallgrass prairie species, such as big bluestem (Andropha gerardii), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) and leadplant (Amorpha canescens), generally showed a significant increase with burning, whether mowed or not. Mowing, however, adversely affected other species, including flower spurge (Euphorbia corollate) and porcupine grass (Stipa spartea), whether burned or not. Non-native species, in particular smooth brome (Bromus inermis) increased with mowing and the absence of fire. Overall, my study suggests the importance of selecting the appropriate type of frequency of management in order to maintain the native tallgrass prairie plant diversity. Further, it supports the appropriate use of fire rather than mowing, both to favor native species and to limit the advance of non-native species
A multiple case study to understand how students experience science and engineering practices
Get PDFThe Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), amid recent shifts in science curriculum, call for students to learn science through the practices of scientists and engineers (science and engineering practices, or SEPs). SEPs, related to inquiry learning, are ways students learn science content by doing science. Students have varied experiences learning science and engineering practices, including exposure in the classroom, from media, and in science fairs. Using a qualitative, multiple case study design, we analyzed public school educators’ and middle and high school students’ (ages 12–18) interview transcripts about learning through the science and engineering practices. Findings demonstrate that students learn different aspects of science and engineering practices during both in school and out-of-school science learning. Several transcending themes emerged from our interview data leading to recommendations for educators. Specific science and engineering practices might be better leveraged to introduce students to scientific research, students saw themselves as scientists leading to development of science identity while learning through SEPs, the relevancy of their work drove student learning, and resiliency was important during many of their learning experiences
