Joan Mazur

Effects of Peer Coaching on Teachers' Collaborative Interactions and Students' Mathematics Achievement

The authors examined peer coaching in the context of the Mentored Implementation Program developed in the Appalachian Mathematics and Science Partnership. The experimental design contained 6 teachers receiving peer coaching with their 202 students and 5 teachers in the control group with their 105 students. Teachers considered peer coaching a positive experience, identifying scheduling and distance as roadblocks. Centering around (a) organization of learning, (b) management of classroom, and (c) mathematical content and pedagogy, collaborative interactions during the post-classroom-observation conferences were brief and showed (a) a lack of analysis, (b) a positive tone and support, (c) a proportional pattern of talk, and (d) a lack of depth in discussion. Peer coaching was not associated with any improvement in mathematics achievement of students.

Cost effectiveness of wearing head protection on all-terrain vehicles

ABSTRACT The use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) has increased in the United States and elsewhere over the last three decades, along with an increased frequency of incidents resulting in serious injuries, among which have been head injuries. ATVs are designed for motorized off-highway work and recreation, can weigh up to 600 lbs (272 kg), and may reach speeds as high as 75 mph (120 km/h). ATV crashes, including collisions and overturns, were responsible for 8104 fatalities from 1982 to 2006. One third of those killed were youth under 16 years of age. Helmets may reduce risk of death by 42% and nonfatal injury by 64%. In this study, a decision analysis was applied to determine the potential reduction in the rate of fatal and nonfatal head injuries associated with crashes, based upon the universal wearing of head protection while riding on ATVs. In addition, based upon this reduction in injury rate, a cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to determine the savings per injury averted among ATV riders with head protection. The authors found that 238 head injuries, including 2 fatalities per 100,000 ATV drivers with an average of 145 hours of annual operation, could be averted by the universal wearing of head protection while riding on ATVs. Taking into account the social direct and indirect costs of fatal and nonfatal head injuries at a 5% discount rate, US

Conceptualizing a Hypermedia Design for Language Learning.

364,306 could be saved per injury averted over a 50-year period if there were universal wearing of head protection by ATV drivers. If the exposure is adjusted to 2000 hours per year for an equivalent work year, 3276 head injuries could be averted including 23 fatalities per 100,000 at a social cost savings of US

Characteristics of instructors at Farm Safety 4 Just Kids day camps

509,172.

Promoting Safety through Economics Education

AbstractWith the rapid development of interactive technology, design models for hypermedia programs need also to evolve to “fit the technology” (Jonassen, 1988). The complexity of the hypermedia environment and human learning requires a framework for analysis that allows for flexibility, fluidity of events, and active interplay among elements in conceptualizing an interactive multimedia program. Operating from a theoretical perspective that carefully defines principles and concepts is the initial requirement. These concepts define the nature of the transformations which will be informed by the choice of thematic and spatial metaphor to orient the learner/teacher as they interact with the complex and sometimes confusing materials and large databases on interactive multimedia programs that use a hypermedia presentation approach.

Immersive visualization in K-12 education

Objective This paper describes the characteristics of instructors at six farm safety day camps sponsored through local chapters of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. What are their backgrounds and experience? What motivates them to participate as farm safety instructors? How do they prepare and present their instruction? Design Data from 69 instructors were gathered as part of a larger evaluation of farm safety day camps conducted during the summer and fall of 2002. Setting Farm safety day camps occur throughout North America. The camps selected for this study were conducted in five states within the United States. The overwhelming majority of instructors were community volunteers without formal instructional training. Method A two-page survey was completed by the instructors on the day of the camp, and selected camp instructional sessions were videotaped and analysed by instructional design experts. Results Case examples of instructor characteristics and instructional styles are presented in order to promote a better understanding of persons who provide children with farm safety instruction at farm safety day camps. Preparation, training, teaching methods, and other characteristics of the camp instructors are discussed. Conclusion Findings from this analysis can be used by organisations that provide community-based injury prevention programmes as a planning tool for selecting instructors that can optimise the experience for children.

Rural Kentucky High School Students’ Exposure to All-Terrain Vehicle Riding and Injuries

Economics is an important topic that is receiving increasing interest in curricula across the United States. A novel approach for teaching safety has been developed by embedding safety stories into economics instruction curricula. A four step process is used. First, a narrative is read and discussed that informs the student of a safety problem, e.g., crushing injury from a tractor overturn. Second, a case analysis is conducted to identify an intervention that would control or prevent the hazard and to develop cost factors related to the incident. Third, a decision analysis using a decision tree compares the injury outcomes with and without the intervention for a population at risk, and fourth, an economic analysis applies costs to the intervention and the time-value of the cost for injuries averted and associated indirect costs. The result of the economic analysis is many-fold. It can show the costeffectiveness of the intervention. It can provide a benefit/cost ratio, breakeven point (payback period), and expected cost (value) of an incident with injury potential. Four narratives have been used in analyses taught in high schools and college classes (agricultural management): tractor overturn, fall from horseback, roadway collision involving farm equipment, and noise-induced hearing loss. Important principles of cost engineering are taught including present value, inflation, opportunity cost, social cost, and both the direct and indirect cost of an injury.

The use of a digital game-based safety program for ATV operational knowledge of youthful riders

In this presentation we review prior research of immersive visualization technology for K-12 educational settings, discuss current research, affordable technology and effective strategies to support K-12 education with immersive displays. Open dialog is encouraged among participants to identify and discuss challenges, solutions, and explore future directions. Costs of immersive visualization displays, invasiveness of devices, interactivity, mobility and re-deploy ability of displays, selecting appropriate content applications, content development, and integration with teachers and curriculum are among topics addressed. Present work at the University of Kentuckys Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments is featured using commodity based collaboratively rendered environments suitable for educational settings and diverse populations.

Embedded standards-based digital gaming assessments: Pilot study with teachers

ABSTRACT From 1982 to 2007, Kentucky had 459 deaths related to all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), fifth highest among US states. By 2012, Kentucky ranked fourth highest, with 578 ATV-related deaths. Following the sentinel event of an ATV-related traumatic brain injury to an unhelmeted high school student, the authors developed a 19-item survey that collected data regarding rural Kentucky high school students’ years of ATV driving, second-rider frequency, typical duration of riding events, estimated weekly number of riding events, and frequency of helmet use. Of the 159 students involved, males scored significantly higher on each of these items, except frequency of any ATV driving and frequency of helmet use, which showed no gender differences. Overall, 9.3% of students reported always wearing a helmet when driving and/or riding; 61.2% reported never wearing a helmet; 132 (83.0%) reported that they either drove ATVs or rode as a second rider, and 72 of these (57.1%) reported having had an ATV incident, 33 (45.8%) of which resulted in an injury. Twenty-one of these were serious injuries, including concussions; unconsciousness; fractures to skull, nose, collarbones, arms, ribs, and legs; elbow and hip dislocations; lacerations to head, eyes, arms, legs, and back; and multiple contusions and sprains. Findings have implications for the design of responsibility to protect (R2P) interventions that will reduce exposure and prevent ATV injury and fatality. A method that leverages the relevance of a sentinel event as a community public-health surveillance opportunity is described. Study surveillance data showed higher exposure to ATV hazards than previously reported.

Integrating Cost-effective Rollover Protective Structure Installation in High School Agricultural Mechanics: A Feasibility Study

The number of serious games are on the rise while, at the same time, there is a paucity of serious game evaluations. More specifically, literature searches for “serious games” and “operational knowledge” are lacking. This paper presents results from a pilot study focused on the burgeoning problem of All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) injuries and to what extent, if any, a digital game intervention impacts operational knowledge of a subset of stakeholders at greatest risk - youth. Preliminary results show improvements in students ATV operational knowledge in the gaming condition and inform the implementation of the larger proposed study of the gaming intervention.