scholarly journals Assessing a Garden-based Curriculum for Elementary Youth in Iowa: Parental Perceptions of Change

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly R. Hilgers ◽  
Cynthia Haynes ◽  
Joanne Olson
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
First Graders ◽  
First Grade ◽  
Parental Perceptions ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
State University ◽  
Iowa State University ◽  
Educational Tools ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Ethnicity And Gender

The interest and use of gardens as educational tools for youth has increased in recent decades. The positive connection found between children and horticulture has prompted the development of garden-based curricula for use in schools. Iowa State University Extension developed the Growing in the Garden (GITG) curriculum for use in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. This study examined what impact the GITG curriculum had on the awareness and interest of first graders in the areas of science, nutrition, and environmental awareness. Impact was assessed by a parental survey asking for perceptions of their child's interest and awareness after experiencing three lessons from the GITG curriculum. The sample population consisted of 78 parents of first-grade students from four classrooms in Iowa. The response rate was 60.2%. Results indicate that a significant number of parents completing the survey noted an increased awareness and interest of their children in the areas of science and the environment. Factors such as socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and gender did not influence the outcomes.

scholarly journals Assessing a Garden-based Curriculum for First Graders in Iowa: Parental Perceptions of Change

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 974C-974
Author(s):  
Cynthia Haynes ◽  
Kimberly Hilgers ◽  
Joanne Olson
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
First Graders ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Parental Perceptions ◽  
State University ◽  
Iowa State University ◽  
Educational Tools ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Ethnicity And Gender ◽  
The Impact

The interest, use, and recognized benefits of gardens as educational tools for youth has increased in recent decades and has prompted the development of garden-based curricula for use in schools. Iowa State University Extension developed Growing in the Garden (GITG), a curriculum designed for use in kindergarten through third grade classrooms. This study examined the impact of the GITG curriculum on the awareness and interest of first graders in the areas of science, nutrition, and the environment. A survey was used to determine parental perceptions of their child's interest and awareness after experiencing three lessons from the GITG curriculum. Forty-seven parents (60.2% response rate) of first graders from four classrooms in Iowa completed the survey. A significant number of parents surveyed noted an increased awareness and interest of their children in the areas of science and the environment. Factors such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, and gender did not influence the outcomes.

scholarly journals Education Backgrounds of TV Weathercasters

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 581-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Green ◽  
Carl J. Schreck ◽  
Nathan S. Johnson ◽  
Sonya Stevens Heath
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
Military Training ◽  
Formal Training ◽  
Education History ◽  
Mississippi State University ◽  
State University ◽  
Traditional Programs ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Advanced Calculus ◽  
Broadcast Program

Abstract In the early days of television, most weathercasters lacked formal training in meteorology and instead relied on forecasts from other sources. Over the decades, degreed meteorologists became more common. A third category has recently emerged: people with certificates in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University (MSU). This certification and the related broadcast meteorology degrees from MSU provide weathercasters with an understanding of meteorology without advanced calculus or differential equations. This study makes no judgment on how a weathercaster’s education background might affect their on-air presentations but notes these courses are required by most guidelines for meteorological degrees, as well as the American Meteorological Society's Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) program. This study conducts a unique survey of television meteorologists using the education history listed on their station's website or LinkedIn. The backgrounds of 421 meteorologists were examined with the equivalent of a 94% response rate. Overall, 21% had a broadcast meteorology degree or certification from MSU, 64% had a traditional meteorology degree from MSU or another institution, 2% minored in meteorology or had military training, and 12% listed no or a partial education background in the field. Another way of viewing the data is that the MSU broadcast program alone has nearly as many graduates as the four largest traditional programs combined in our sample. These results were further broken down for various subsets of weathercasters, resulting in statistically significant variations by market size, region, ownership group, and gender.

scholarly journals HORTICULTURE EDUCATION AT THE 1ST GRADE LEVEL

HortScience ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 273A-273
Author(s):  
E.W. Bush ◽  
A.W. Fennel ◽  
W.A. Young ◽  
T.J. Raiford
Keyword(s):  
First Graders ◽  
First Grade ◽  
State University ◽  
Horticultural Crops ◽  
Louisiana State University ◽  
Positive Perspective ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
The Many ◽  
University Laboratory School ◽  
The University

To promote both learning and horticulture, a 5 year pilot program was implemented with a collaborative effort between the Louisiana State University Horticulture Department and the University Laboratory School. The objective of this program was to develop a hands-on approach to learning which fostered self-discovery and a positive perception of horticulture. First graders were able to experiment in both the greenhouse and in the field with instruction in the classroom. Among the many concepts that the children were Introduced to, they benefitted most from being able to participate and observe the process from seeding to harvesting enabling them to work with the different types of seeds, media, and fertilizers. In the classroom, horticulture was Integrated in every subject of the first grade class. For example, the students learned math by measuring and counting the produce then making charts to report their findings. The result of the program was that the children did in fact obtain a positive perspective of horticulture while developing an awareness of the process of growth and development of horticultural crops. The first grade class received a national award for donating their produce to the local food bank in Baton Rouge.

Barriers and Motivators for Tractor ROPS Retrofitting in Iowa

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles V. Schwab ◽  
J. Gordon Arbuckle ◽  
H. Mark Hanna
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
Rural Life ◽  
State University ◽  
Iowa State University ◽  
Potential Barriers ◽  
Farm Safety ◽  
Farm Operators ◽  
Tractor Safety ◽  
Protective Structures ◽  
Barriers And Motivators

Abstract. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach conducted an assessment of Iowa farm operators’ perceptions of the barriers and motivators when considering retrofitting tractors with rollover protective structures (ROPS). A statewide sample of approximately 2,000 farm operators was surveyed in the 2017 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll. A series of questions was asked to evaluate the importance of potential barriers to decisions to not retrofit a tractor and potential motivators that could influence the decision to retrofit or purchase a tractor with ROPS. The survey received a 48% response rate (999 responses). Among the 76% of Iowa farm operators who reported at least one pre-1985 tractor, only 18.6% reported that all of those tractors had ROPS. The remaining 81.4% had at least one tractor that did not have ROPS. Iowa farm operators’ perceptions of the barriers and motivators when considering retrofitting tractors with ROPS are shared. The results of Iowa farm operators’ perceptions will be used as Iowa State University Extension and Outreach prepares to align efforts with the National Tractor Safety Coalition and participate in the National ROPS Rebate Program, with the goal of reducing tractor fatalities. Keywords: Agricultural fatalities, Farm safety, Farmer-attitudes, Retrofit, Rollover protective structures, Safety, Tractor overturns, Tractor safety.

scholarly journals Curriculum Evaluation: An Outcomes Assessment of the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 524-528
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Duncan ◽  
Ann Marie VanDerZanden ◽  
Cynthia Haynes ◽  
Levon Esters
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
Outcomes Assessment ◽  
Curriculum Evaluation ◽  
Survey Instrument ◽  
State University ◽  
Iowa State University ◽  
Learner Outcomes ◽  
First Job ◽  
Departmental Effectiveness ◽  
Question Survey

The Iowa State University undergraduate horticulture program has been nationally ranked as one of the best in the nation. Regular and systematic outcomes assessment is one means to evaluate the program for purposes of sustaining this level of excellence. The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey of horticulture graduates to determine preparedness when entering the workforce, departmental effectiveness, and to evaluate how well graduates met departmental learner outcomes. A 59-question survey instrument was distributed electronically to a proportional sample of 221 horticulture alumni who graduated between 2000 and 2006. The response rate was 47%. Results showed that graduates found jobs quickly, and a majority (76.7%) noted that their first and current jobs were highly related to their degree. Furthermore, 41.8% rated themselves as adequately prepared, 37.9% as more than adequately prepared, and 15.5% as exceptionally well prepared for their first job. Respondents also ranked their abilities related to the 33 learner outcomes questions as good to excellent.

Outreach Opportunities Using the Instructional SEM at Iowa State University

1996 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 412-413
Author(s):  
L. S. Chumbley ◽  
M. Meyer ◽  
K. Fredrickson ◽  
F.C. Laabs
Keyword(s):  
Materials Science ◽  
State University ◽  
Digital Cameras ◽  
Audio Signals ◽  
Iowa State University ◽  
Cornell University ◽  
Sem Image ◽  
Local Schools ◽  
Materials Science And Engineering ◽  
Video And Audio

The development of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) suitable for instructional purposes has created a large number of outreach opportunities for the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Department at Iowa State University. Several collaborative efforts are presently underway with local schools and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) at ISU to bring SEM technology into the classroom in a near live-time, interactive manner. The SEM laboratory is shown in Figure 1.Interactions between the laboratory and the classroom use inexpensive digital cameras and shareware called CU-SeeMe, Figure 2. Developed by Cornell University and available over the internet, CUSeeMe provides inexpensive video conferencing capabilities. The software allows video and audio signals from Quikcam™ cameras to be sent and received between computers. A reflector site has been established in the MSE department that allows eight different computers to be interconnected simultaneously. This arrangement allows us to demonstrate SEM principles in the classroom. An Apple Macintosh has been configured to allow the SEM image to be seen using CU-SeeMe.

The Instructional SEM Laboratory at Iowa State University

1996 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
pp. 396-397
Author(s):  
L. S. Chumbley ◽  
M. Meyer ◽  
K. Fredrickson ◽  
F.C. Laabs
Keyword(s):  
Materials Science ◽  
Computer Network ◽  
Energy Dispersive Spectrometer ◽  
Computer Control ◽  
State University ◽  
Iowa State University ◽  
Internet Server ◽  
Schematic Layout ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Improve Instruction

The Materials Science Department at Iowa State University has developed a laboratory designed to improve instruction in the use of the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The laboratory makes use of a computer network and a series of remote workstations in a classroom setting to provide students with increased hands-on access to the SEM. The laboratory has also been equipped such that distance learning via the internet can be achieved.A view of the laboratory is shown in Figure 1. The laboratory consists of a JEOL 6100 SEM, a Macintosh Quadra computer that acts as a server for the network and controls the energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), four Macintosh computers that act as remote workstations, and a fifth Macintosh that acts as an internet server. A schematic layout of the classroom is shown in Figure 2. The workstations are connected directly to the SEM to allow joystick and computer control of the microscope. An ethernet connection between the Quadra and the workstations allows students seated there to operate the EDS. Control of the microscope and joystick is passed between the workstations by a switch-box assembly that resides at the microscope console. When the switch-box assembly is activated a direct serial line is established between the specified workstation and the microscope via the SEM’s RS-232.

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