scholarly journals What Is Most Desirable for Nature? An Analysis of Azorean Pupils’ Biodiversity Perspectives When Deciding on Ecological Scenarios

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12554
Author(s):  
Flora Piasentin ◽  
Rosalina Gabriel ◽  
Ana M. Arroz ◽  
Alexandra R. Silva ◽  
Isabel R. Amorim
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
School Level ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽  
Ecological Concepts ◽  
Biodiversity Education ◽  
Structured Problems ◽  
Methodological Strategy

Understanding pupils’ biodiversity perspectives is essential to developing educators’ sensitivity to students’ multi-faceted views of the world, thus increasing teaching effectiveness. In this study, we asked 1528 school pupils in the Azores to choose between alternative schemes in three ecological scenarios and to justify their decisions. The study’s objectives were to understand biodiversity perspectives underlying pupils´ choice of the most desirable schemes for nature and to examine whether gender and school level (middle school/high school) influenced their choices. Quantitative (frequency analysis and Chi-square statistics) and qualitative (thematic analysis) methods were applied for data analysis. The majority of pupils made appropriate choices, arguing from different biodiversity perspectives, which were classified in 10 categories and 24 subcategories. High school pupils did not exhibit significant differences among the main arguments employed, and mostly referred to ecological concepts, while middle school pupils exhibited different choices according to gender, emphasizing richness over the threats posed by introduced species. Biodiversity education should thus be strengthened, especially at the middle school level, where different complex issues would benefit from classroom discussion and systematization. The chosen methodological strategy proved to be effective in assessing pupils’ biodiversity perspectives, which may be useful to deal with other ill-structured problems.

scholarly journals A Comparison of Bullying in Four Rural Middle and High Schools

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jody Isernhagen ◽  
Sandra Harris
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Rural School ◽  
School Level ◽  
High School Level ◽  
School Students ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
School Settings

Bullying in rural school settings is clearly a problem and some of our students are suffering as a result.. Bullying is defined in this study of 819 rural middle and high school students as when a student is exposed repeatedly to negative actions by one or more other students. Students responded to a questionnaire about how often and where bullying occurred and who students told. Analysis of the data reported frequencies, and the Pearson chi-square was used to test for significance (p <.05) for gender and school level. Results indicated that while there are many similarities, there are some differences in bullying at these two levels that should be considered when reducing bullying. First, students should be encouraged to develop positive strategies to react to name calling and teasing particularly at the middle school level. Second, administrators and teachers must communicate better with students that they care about reducing bullying, especially at the high school level.  

scholarly journals Preventive Neuromuscular Training for Young Female Athletes: Comparison of Coach and Athlete Compliance Rates

2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Sugimoto ◽  
Carl G. Mattacola ◽  
Heather M. Bush ◽  
Staci M. Thomas ◽  
Kim D. Barber Foss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
School Level ◽  
Neuromuscular Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Injury Incidence ◽  
Soccer Teams ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Basketball Teams

Context: Fewer athletic injuries and lower anterior cruciate ligament injury incidence rates were noted in studies of neuromuscular-training (NMT) interventions that had high compliance rates. However, several groups have demonstrated that preventive NMT interventions were limited by low compliance rates. Objective: To descriptively analyze coach and athlete compliance with preventive NMT and compare the compliance between study arms as well as among school levels and sports. Design: Randomized, controlled clinical trial. Setting: Middle and high school athletic programs. Participants or Other Participants: A total of 52 teams, comprising 547 female athletes, were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group and followed for 1 athletic season. Intervention(s): The experimental group (n = 30 teams [301 athletes]: 12 basketball teams [125 athletes], 6 soccer teams [74 athletes], and 12 volleyball teams [102 athletes]) participated in an NMT program aimed at reducing traumatic knee injuries through a trunk-stabilization and hip-strengthening program. The control group (n = 22 teams [246 athletes]: 11 basketball teams [116 athletes], 5 soccer teams [68 athletes], and 6 volleyball teams [62 athletes]) performed a resistive rubber-band running program. Main Outcome Measure(s): Compliance with the assigned intervention protocols (3 times per week during the preseason [mean = 3.4 weeks] and 2 times per week in-season [mean = 11.9 weeks] of coaches [coach compliance] and athletes [athlete compliance]) was measured descriptively. Using an independent t test, we compared coach and athlete compliance between the study arms. A 2-way analysis of variance was calculated to compare differences between coach and athlete compliance by school level (middle and high schools) and sport (basketball, soccer, and volleyball). Results: The protocols were completed at a mean rate of 1.3 ± 1.1 times per week during the preseason and 1.2 ± 0.5 times per week in-season. A total of 88.4% of athletes completed 2/3 of the intervention sessions. Coach compliance was greater in the experimental group than in the control group (P = .014). Coach compliance did not differ by sport but was greater at the high school than the middle school (P = .001) level. Athlete compliance did not differ by study arm, sport, or school level. Conclusions: Athletes received instruction in about 50% of each protocol. Nearly 90% of athletes performed more than 2/3 of the assigned NMT interventions. The assigned intervention was performed more often in the experimental arm compared with the control arm. Coaches at the high school level complied with the given protocol more than middle school coaches did. Athletes complied well with the protocol, but coaches did not, especially at the middle school level.

Sharing Teaching Ideas: Reviewing Made Fun!

2002 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 98
Author(s):  
Angela T. Barlow
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
School Level ◽  
Teaching Ideas ◽  
Middle School Level

The purpose of this article is to share a review game that has successfully prepared students for tests and quizzes. Part of the success of this game lies in its ability to involve everyone in working problems. Adding to this success is the fact that most students enjoy playing the game. The game has been played by mathematics classes ranging from the middle school level to high school. A description of the setup and the rules for the game follow.

Self-Efficacy, Self-Evaluation, and Music Performance of Secondary-Level Band Students

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Hewitt
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Music Performance ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
School Level ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Band Students ◽  
School Band

In the present study, relationships between two components of self-regulation (self-efficacy and self-evaluation) and gender, school level, instrument family, and music performance were examined. Participants were 340 middle and high school band students who participated in one of two summer music camps or who were members of a private middle school band program. Students indicated their level of self-efficacy for playing a musical excerpt before performing it and then self-evaluated their performance immediately afterward. Findings suggest that there is a strong and positive relationship between self-efficacy and both music performance and self-evaluation. There was also a strong negative relationship between self-evaluation calibration bias and music performance, indicating that as music performance ability increased, students were more underconfident in their self-evaluations. Gender differences were found for self-evaluation calibration accuracy, as female students were more accurate than males at evaluating their performances. Middle school males were more inclined than females to overrate their self-efficacy and self-evaluation as compared to their actual music performance scores. These gender differences were reversed for high school students. There were no other statistically significant findings.

Students’ Knowledge and Behaviors for Active Living: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Liu ◽  
Senlin Chen
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Level ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Active Living ◽  
And Behaviors

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to capture students’ essential knowledge and behaviors concerning active living. Methods: Students (N = 1,079) from elementary, middle, and high schools in the United States reported their knowledge of physical activity and fitness (PAF knowledge), and physical activity and sedentary behavior using grade-specific PE Metrics tests and Youth Activity Profile, respectively. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were used to address the research purposes. Results: The total PAF knowledge scores and scores in subareas varied by gender and school level. A declining trend for physical activity and an increasing trend for sedentary behavior were observed. PAF knowledge positively predicted physical activity in elementary school boys and middle school girls and negatively predicted sedentary behavior in middle school students and high school boys. Certain PAF knowledge subareas (e.g., elementary school PD#3: knowledge about the characteristics of health-enhancing physical activity; middle school PD#1: knowledge of physical activity participation as part of a healthful lifestyle; high school PD#4: monitoring and adjusting physical activity to meet fitness needs) also significantly predicted behaviors. Conclusion: The findings may guide teachers’ curricular and instructional actions to enhance students’ PAF knowledge through physical education.

Using the Telephone Book as a Source of Mathematical Activity

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-238
Author(s):  
Marian S. Small
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
School Level ◽  
Mathematical Activity ◽  
High School Level ◽  
Mathematical Concepts ◽  
Good Place ◽  
Junior High School Level

Are you a grade 6-9 teacher looking for easily accessible data to support your attempts to teach using a problem-solving approach? An old telephone book may be a good place to start. The ideas suggested in this article present some starting points for using the telephone book and telephone numbers at the middle school and junior high school level to develop a variety of mathematical concepts and skills.

Tobacco prevention education for middle school and high school educators

2020 ◽  
pp. 001789692095034
Author(s):  
Caroline M Baer ◽  
Michaela A Khoussine ◽  
Page D Dobbs
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Tobacco Prevention ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Knowledge Change ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Usa

Objectives: In an attempt to reduce tobacco use among adolescents in the USA, some health educators have created school-based tobacco education programmes. However, none currently exist for middle and high school educators. The current study sought to determine if middle and high school educators’ knowledge about combustible cigarettes and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) improved following an educational session about youth tobacco use. Design: Pre-/post-assessment was employed to measure change in knowledge. Setting: Educators ( N = 41) from a rural, southern middle and high school were invited to take part in the study during an educational workshop held during an in-service training event. Method: In addition to seven knowledge questions, participants also provided demographic information and details of current and previous use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Chi-square analyses examined changes in responses to individual items, and total pre-/post-knowledge score change was compared using a dependent t-test. Independent t-tests examined differences between knowledge change and participants’ personal and behavioural characteristics. Results: Participants’ overall knowledge improved from pre- to the post-test ( p < .05); however, there was no relationship between pre-/post-test responses for individual items. In addition, there were no differences between participants’ knowledge change when compared by age, sex, grades taught and past use of cigarettes or e-cigarettes. Discussion: Increasing middle school and high school educators’ knowledge about tobacco products, particularly novel devices, is important due to the increasing rates of use among youth. More research is needed to determine how educators’ knowledge can help decrease tobacco initiation and use among school-aged children.

scholarly journals Are Nutrition Standards for Beverages in Schools Associated with Healthier Beverage Intakes among Adolescents in the US?

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Jamie F. Chriqui ◽  
Julien Leider ◽  
Juliana F. W. Cohen ◽  
Marlene Schwartz ◽  
Lindsey Turner
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Middle School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Secondary School Student ◽  
School Nutrition ◽  
School Level ◽  
High School Level ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cost Study

Under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Smart Snacks in School standards, beverages sold in schools are restricted to water, flavored or unflavored non-fat milk or unflavored low-fat milk (and milk alternatives), and 100% fruit and vegetable juices; and, at the high school level, diet (≤10 kcal), low-calorie (≤60 kcal), and caffeinated beverages may also be sold. Using data from the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study, this study examined whether secondary school student beverage consumption was associated with school-level à la carte and vending machine beverage availability, controlling for district, school, and student characteristics. On average, most beverages sold in middle schools (84.54%) and high schools (74.11%) were Smart Snacks compliant; while 24.06 percent of middle school students and 14.64 percent of high school students reported consuming non-compliant beverages, including non-compliant milk, fruit drinks, and sports or energy drinks. School beverage availability was not related to consumption among middle school students; however, high school students were less likely to consume non-compliant beverages when enrolled in schools that sold a higher proportion of compliant beverages (Range: OR = 0.97–0.98, 95% CI = 0.95, 1.00). Findings from this study build upon prior research illustrating the role that schools can play in influencing student dietary intake.

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