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The purpose of the investigation was two fold: first, to analyze the school excursion as a teaching and learning aid; and second, to develop a suggested school-excursion program for the social studies in the junior high schools of Dallas, base upon the findings and evaluations reported by educational observers and by experienced users of excursions.

With the recent adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards in Oregon, there is a great need for teachers to be trained to effectively implement the three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in their teaching. Time and location are the largest constraining factors that affect teacher participation in professional development trainings. To address this constraint, Tryon Creek State Park offered a NGSS professional development training opportunity for teachers that was integrated within a field trip that they took their students on. Before the field trip, teachers were introduced to the NGSS through a set of NGSS pre-field trip materials which informed them about the NGSS and how aspects of it would be integrated into their students' field trip. Teachers accompanied their students on a two-hour long field trip at Tryon Creek State Park where teachers observed nature guides model NGSS-aligned activities for the students. My research aimed to answer the following question: How will an informal science education program at Tryon Creek State Park affect K-2 teachers' awareness of the Next Generation Science Standards? Outcomes were measured through a pre/post retrospective survey and follow-up interviews. On the survey teachers reported little awareness of the three dimensions of the NGSS and very few of the teachers increased their understanding after the treatment. On the other hand, most had a high level of awareness and confidence in teaching factual information supporting the NGSS prior to treatment, resulting in a ceiling effect. Interviews suggested that few teachers read the materials sent in advance of the field trip, but teachers who did read the materials indicated increases in understanding of the NGSS. During the field trip several of the nature guides were effective in modeling science and engineering practices. These findings suggest that this method of professional development is promising, but needs further refinement.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1996. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Accompanying materials in Spanish. Sponsor: Robert Taylor. Dissertation Committee: Robert McClintock. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-135).

The purpose of this project was to develop a computer-based instructional material for Temecula third grade teachers to use with their history/social science curriculum. What evolved was a stack about Old Town Temecula that supports the Framework, an integration of technology into the history/social science curriculum. The project connects the past and present by focusing on the historical buildings in Old Town Temecula. As an instructional tool the stack provides teachers with the pre field trip materials and follow-up activities to use when doing a field trip to Old Town Temecula.

This project offers a nature program that can be implemented into youth camp programs. Outdoor Residential Camp programs offered by youth organizations provide an outdoor camp experience for many children in the communty. Many offer participants resident summer camp programs which is a perfect venue for the outdoor experience. Children exposed to outdoor experiences develop a greater sense of responsibility to the natural environment around them. The schools are not doing enough to educate youth about the natural environment. This project was written specifically for the Azalea Trails Girl Scout Camp located in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California however, it could be adapted to be used at any residental camp setting.

This project begins by examining living history, defining its scope, uses, and relationship to other fields. It further defines and articulates a second-person methodology for construction of living history educational projects, grounding it in historical, educational, and dramatic theory.