The PLAYground summer camp was developed by the Playful Learning Lab (PLL) at the University of St. Thomas, an undergraduate research group with a focus on learning through play. Through a partnership with a local school serving deaf and hard of hearing students, the PLAYground was designed to provide content to the deaf and hard of hearing…

We used a mixed-methods study to understand the nature of classroom instruction and the enactments of inquiry with nine teachers after an extensive professional development (PD). The "Summer Ecology Institute for Teachers" focused on science as a process and included mentoring by scientists and science educators. We validated our…

Geologic time scale is a very important concept for understanding long-term earth system events such as climate change. This study examines forty-three 4th-8th grade Native American--particularly Ojibwe tribe--students' understanding of relative ordering and absolute time of Earth's significant geological and biological events. This study also…

Many teachers use the Internet and other electronic and web-based resources to engage students in meaningful assignments for independent learning, greater ownership of learning and better preparation for college and careers. The technology practices should align with the new college- and career-readiness standards (CCRS). They also should enhance…

A wind energy focused curriculum for grades 4-8 was designed and implemented to promote the understanding of wind energy concepts with American Indian students. 57 students who participated in the 2009 summer program of the "Reach for the Sky" (RFTS) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) received the curriculum. The…

We studied the outcome of a professional development opportunity that consisted of 2-week-long resident institutes for teams consisting of a secondary science teacher and two students. The science content of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded professional development institute was monarch butterfly ecology. The first institute took place…

Interest in agricultural education continues to increase. The attempt to teach agriculture is no longer confined to the agricultural college and special agricultural school. Methods of teaching the most important facts and the elementary principles of agriculture are discussed in the meetings of most of our educational associations. There is a…