This paper introduces a test sign-up application developed for a math department at a university. The requirements, design, and final software product are presented, along with one very important unexpected problem that arose after completion of the work--the system to be implemented and maintained by the client was not compatible with the…

Suicide is a preventable public health concern affecting the nation as the 10th leading cause of death. The prevalence of suicide among the elderly is higher than any other group. Risk factors attributed to this phenomenon are depression, social isolation, substance abuse, poor physical health or function, financial stress, and access to lethal…

This program description presents a unique, radically simple mentoring model for post-secondary institutions. The Faculty Peer Support Program invites all faculty members, regardless of rank, to connect for personalized professional development support. Participants self-select partner(s), meeting times, places, and topics. They also self-direct…

The transition from college to whatever lies ahead can be exciting and scary for students. How the transition experience unfolds for students will be the result of a combination of factors including individual circumstances, how the student responds to change and unknown expectations, and how well they are prepared and informed for their…

Engineers often measure temperature for a wide variety of applications and assessments. This article describes how STEM educators can use thermometers or temperature sensors to help students understand how heat disperses through fluids, both air and water. It also provides hands-on learning about air and water heating systems. (Contains 4 figures.)

Making ice cream! Dissecting a cow's eye! Spinning glasses of water without spilling a drop! Investigating fingerprints! These are just samples of what elementary children did at the Jersey City Public Schools very first districtwide "Family Science Night." Although there was some stress in preparing for the evening, it turned out to be a…

The latest advances in technology are inevitably making their way into schools and gymnasiums across the country. This article provides a descriptive account of how one physical education teacher incorporated the use of an iPad in a middle-school volleyball sport education season. The salient structural elements of sport education, such as…

Each year, Austin Independent School District Department of Research and Evaluation (DRE) staff develop a plan of work to describe the scope of work for the coming year. The plans that make up this document identify programs to be evaluated and services to be provided by DRE staff and provide the blueprints for evaluation that staff will follow…

In this article, the author offers pieces of advice for those who are considering developing an integrated program. He stresses how important it is to let one's program evolve. Another emphasis for him is to bring skills, passion, and experience to what a program becomes. The key is to find the right curriculum connections that allow these…

In this article, the author discusses British Columbia's integrated curriculum programs (ICPs). In this province of sea and mountains, outdoor adventures figure prominently in its ICPs--with a healthy dose of environmental and sustainability education mixed in. The author presents five examples from British Columbia's ICPs: (1) Earthquest Outdoor…

From previous research on second language acquisition and early language learning, educators know that young children have a cognitive advantage to learning a foreign language over other age groups (e.g., Garcia-Sierra et al.; Hyltenstam and Abrahamsson; Singleton and Ryan; Werker et al.). More recently, an increase in functional benefits for…

ELTeach is an online professional development program consisting of two courses, English-for-Teaching and Professional Knowledge for English Language Teaching (ELT). Each course includes a coordinated assessment leading to a score report and certificate for individual teachers. Developed with reference to international and national teaching…

In this guided inquiry, students investigate advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering by integrating popular fiction into their study of bioethics. What are the effects of artificially created hybrid creatures on characters in "The Hunger Games" and in our society? What are the effects on and basic rights of the organisms…

"Real life" learning has often been suggested as a good method for engaging students in the science curriculum. In this article, an evidence-based rationale for the use of engineering as a context for "real life" science study is explained. This has been achieved through development work undertaken by the National Science…

The train-the-trainer model has great potential for expanding information literacy programs without placing undue burden on already overextended librarians; it is surprisingly underused in academic libraries. At the University of Kentucky, we employed this model to create a new information literacy program in an introductory biology lab. We…