In a time where some 2.4 billion Internet users exist worldwide, children are increasingly impacted by the Internet's influence, both directly and indirectly. With technology now playing a significant role in childhood learning and social development, many unforeseen shifts are occurring that will ultimately impact lifespan development. Although researchers have provided mixed results concerning the impact of the Internet on learning and social development, the body of evidence indicates that veteran K-8 educators who are comfortable and experienced with the Internet view it more favorably. This grounded theory study systematically generated the multisystem technological engagement theory (MSTET) to explain the impact of the Internet on childhood learning and social development. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 self-identified veteran K-8 educators. Analysis of the data was conducted using a 3-tiered method of coding that was verified through the process of triangulation and member-checking. Results of this study indicate that the veteran K-8 educators perceived the Internet's impact as positive, given a specific set of conditions: experience and comfort with the Internet, collaboration with parents, a healthy balance between face-to-face and online social interactions, boundaries, and maximization of benefits from available information and resources. These findings may enhance social change initiatives by providing an evidence basis for both targeted instruction and school counseling practice that facilitates healthy K-8 learning and social development in the Internet Age.

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Scale, proportion, and quantity constitute a “crosscutting concept” in science education – a concept that pervades science and can help students connect their knowledge across topics and disciplines. An understanding of wide ranges of size is a prerequisite for the learning of scale. Students must have a good understanding of size and scale if they are to leverage them to connect their science understanding. In this study, we examine two qualitatively different types of knowledge that may underlie the understanding of size and scale: the evolutionarily-based approximate number sense, and the culturally-based understanding of measurement units. We explore how closely these two types of knowledge are related to size and scale knowledge useful for secondary science classrooms. This study has implications for instruction: evolutionarily-based abilities are biologically primary, are acquired universally, and are motivating, whereas culturally-based abilities are biologically secondary, and depend on instruction, practice, and external motivation. Different educational approaches might be better suited to biologically primary and secondary abilities. The results of an empirical study with 36 seventh grade students are reported.

Leave with ideas to build confidence and understanding about using hands-on activities and literacy strategies as tools to understand the nature of wave movement.

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How do highly motivated teachers from different schools collaborate? We formed a hybrid PLC that included face-to-face meetings and online interactions to improve student learning.

This study evaluated through an analysis of baseline data whether Stockton Unified School District's board decision to transition from middle school settings to K-8 settings result in: increased student achievement as measured by performance on the California Standards Tests (CSTs) in English language arts and Mathematics, and decreased problem behaviors as measured through the number of suspensions at the 7th grade level in its first year of implementation for the 2006-2007 school year. Four former middle schools and thirty nine K-8 elementary school's achievement and suspension data comprised the purposeful sample for this one shot case study. Former middle school populations averaged 684 to 747 students per school while the average number of 7th grade students attending the newly formed K-8s averaged 85 students per site. Categorical variables were controlled for ethnicity, gender, second language learner, socioeconomically deprived and school wide. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to create a time analysis of 7th grade student performance and behavior as measured by number of suspensions through the use of time trend analysis over a four year period 2002-2003 through 2005-2006. In order to find performance and suspension levels for each categorical variable, scores were derived as the difference between each categorical variable and the growth rate of White (the omitted category). Chow Test (1960) was applied to test for change in setting from the middle school to K-8. Results determined no significant growth in academic achievement in English language arts or mathematics for any subgroup following the move to a K-8 setting. Second language learners demonstrated a statistically significant drop at -6.8 percent from Far Below Basic in English language arts over the four year period of attending a middle school setting. No other subgroup showed any statistical significance in performance over time when compared to the growth of their White constituents. Statistical significant findings were found for number of suspensions for all subgroups over time and with the move to a K-8 setting for Hispanic, Black and Asian males and females. Implications for educators and future research are discussed.

Explore the benefits of merging experiential science and literacy instruction to deepen students’ understanding of force and motion.