It's Time for Summer: An Analysis of Recent Policy and Funding Opportunities

Recommends ways to improve and expand summer learning programs by better coordinating federal, state and local programs, including ensuring that federal program regulations explicitly allow spending for summer programs and creating funding collaboratives

Comparison of Manipulatives Effect on Academic Achievement in Preschool Math

Students in the United States tend to possess poor academic performance in mathematics compared to other developed countries. Despite the increased preschool enrollment and attendance, there are academic disparities among preschool students. Earlier exposure to mathematical concepts can positively affect student outcomes. Research supports the idea that early exposure and mastery of patterning skills and non-symbolic quantity knowledge are trajectories of math academic achievement during elementary and middle-level grades (Rittle-Johnson, Fyfe, Hofer, & Farran, 2016). Students who begin with mathematics deficiencies, without proper intervention, tend to continue to lack understanding of foundational math skills that are essential for proficiency in the following grade or skill. Using manipulatives in conjunction with classroom instruction has been shown to increase scores in some math skills significantly. Although many studies explored the effectiveness of physical and virtual manipulatives in mathematics, few investigate the relationship between the implementation of manipulative with preschool students and math learning acquisition. There is also a gap in the literature related to manipulatives’ effect on preschool students’ acquisition of patterning skills and non-symbolic quantity knowledge. The purpose of this study is to compare virtual and physical manipulatives effect on academic achievement when learning non-symbolic quantity knowledge and patterning skills in preschool. Ninety-one preschool students participated in the study and were randomly assigned into two intervention groups, physical and manipulative groups, and a control group. The Repeated Pattern and Panamath assessments were administered before and after instruction to assess patterning skills and non-symbolic quantity knowledge. A mixed ANOVA analysis found no significant difference between the physical and virtual manipulatives on patterning skills assessment scores. Additionally, there was no significant difference between the physical and virtual manipulatives and non-symbolic quantity knowledge scores in preschool students. Implications and recommendations for future research are also discussed

Making Space for Writing: Makerspace Activities and Academic Language in a Middle School Science Classroom

Over recent decades, the maker movement has expanded from the private sector, libraries, and higher education institutions to K-12 schools. While many studies provide implications of STEM and maker activities and their effects on learning in informal settings, few have framed such investigations within the context of a makerspace in K-12 schools. Furthermore, few have investigated maker activities and writing, particularly in developing academic language features. Prior research suggests that secondary students struggle to apply academic language features. Meanwhile, they are motivated to engage in STEM and maker activities. This mixed methods case study attempted to make a connection between makerspaces and academic language. The study examined the effect of collaboration and space on middle school students’ motivation and academic language in a science classroom as students engaged in maker activities. Findings indicated that students enjoyed working in makerspaces and that collaboration, which was determined by role assignments in groups, reduced students’ sense of pressure, but no other subscale of motivation. Collaboration did not affect academic writing quality. Space had no effect on either motivation or writing. However, all groups’ writing scores increased following the intervention

Table of Contents

Table of Contents for the 2018 Special Issue of the Journal of China and International Relations.&nbsp

‘I get to learn more stuff’ : children’s understanding of wellbeing at school in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

This purpose of this study was to explore how school-aged children understand dimensions of wellbeing in a Canadian context in participation of the Multi-national Qualitative Study – Children’s Understanding of Wellbeing. Twenty-one school-aged children (boys = 8, girls = 13) participated in semi-instructed interviews facilitated by tactile, tasked oriented interview tool. Participants were recruited from seven before- and-after-school child-care programs throughout the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The wellbeing of children at school was influenced by the quality of the relationships they had with their teachers. Children recognized teachers as being essential agents in their learning process and teaching them essential skills for their future. Children who described feeling positive about school were children who felt that their teachers were supportive, provided creative ways to learn, and listened to their ideas and concerns. Conversely, children who described negative feelings about school discussed experiencing teachers who did not value their ideas and concerns, and were not supportive in their individual needs as a learner. The teaching style of teachers affect children’s wellbeing at school. Teachers who promote wellbeing at school and positive feeling associated with learning are those who consider the voices and needs of their students, as well as make efforts to incorporate those considerations in their curriculum.peer-reviewe

Long-term Impact of a Campus Suicide Prevention Program

Color poster with text, graphs, and charts.An increasing number of college students face significant mental health problems (ACHA, 2007), which places them at elevated risk for suicide. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for college students (AAS, 2012; CDC, 2009). Unfortunately, many universities and colleges lack resources to effectively manage, intervene with, and prevent suicidal behavior (Gallagher, 2007). As a result, college students are often identifying their own mental health needs and frequently turn to peers for support (Haas et al., 2003). The purpose of this study was to create, implement, and evaluate the long-term (1-month) effects of a suicide awareness/gatekeeper prevention program for students.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs