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Descriptors:
Civil Engineering; Transportation; Role; National Security; Economic Progress; United States History; Migration Patterns; Construction (Process); Strategic Planning; Physical Environment; Influence of Technology; Context Effect; Costs; STEM Education; Class Activities

Abstract:
Few people truly recognize the influence of modern transportation on society. In the United States, that includes the influence of highways that allow the citizenry to travel freely, the strength of the economy, and the country's national security. In all cases, the geography of the United States influenced the evolution of transportation and transportation technology. The U.S. is the third largest country in the world and includes a vast area of land (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012a). In 2008, the U.S. had the most kilometers of roads in the world--6,506,204 km--almost twice as many as China with the second most (Central Intelligence Agency, 2012b). The U.S. continues to construct highways because they are vital to the country's national security and economic growth. What are the costs of building, upgrading, and maintaining America's highways? What are the costs of not building and maintaining highways? How does the U.S. highway system compare to the highway systems of other countries? Why has the U.S. highway system evolved the way that it has? These questions are discussed in this article. A classroom activity about highway construction is also offered. (Contains 5 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Secondary School Mathematics; Geometry; Secondary School Students; Interaction; Problem Solving; Virtual Classrooms; Teamwork; Protocol Analysis; Sequential Learning; Sequential Approach; Pattern Recognition; Object Manipulation; Construction (Process); Reflection; Visual Aids

Abstract:
We analyze the interaction of 3 students working on mathematics problems over several days in a virtual math team. Our analysis traces out how successful collaboration in a later session is contingent upon the work of prior sessions and shows how the development of representational practices is an important aspect of these participants' problem solving. We trace the formation, transformation, and refinement of 2 problem-solving practices (i.e., problem decomposition and inscribe first solve second) and 2 representational practices (i.e., modulate perspective and visualize decomposition). The analysis shows how inscriptions become representations for the group through a historical trajectory of negotiation: Learners appropriate inscriptional resources over time as they develop their representational competencies. We show how analysis of the contingently relevant situation may reach into temporally prior episodes in which interaction relevant resources and practices are constructed. (Contains 4 tables and 9 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Design Requirements; Science Activities; Problem Based Learning; Science Process Skills; Technology Education; Construction (Process)

Abstract:
This article presents a simple design challenge, based on the PBS program "Design Squad's" "Watercraft" activity that will prove engaging to most technology and engineering students. In this floating boat challenge, students are to build a boat that can float and support 25 pennies for at least 10 seconds--without leaking, sinking, or tipping over. Based on the enthusiasm that this challenge generated, the authors are planning to organize an after-school "inventors club" for interested students. They will start with brainstorming design challenges to stimulate outside-the-box thinking, then will progress so that interested students can take their raw ideas and learn how to transform them into plans, keep an inventor's notebook, and perhaps mock-up some prototypes. (Contains 6 photos.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Foreign Countries; Educational Change; Science Instruction; Peer Teaching; Science Materials; Intentional Learning; Case Studies; Educational Opportunities; Hands on Science; Scaffolding (Teaching Technique); Teaching Methods; Instructional Innovation; Construction (Process); Task Analysis; Sequential Approach

Abstract:
Australia's Early Years Learning Framework and leading international researchers argue for more intentional and purposeful teaching of science in the early years. This case study of exemplary practice illustrates intentional teaching of science materials which opened-up learning opportunities in literacy and number. Student-led hands-on exploration of materials supported with carefully scaffolded discourse and representation with some peer tutoring provided rich learning opportunities for these pre-primary/foundation students. (Contains 5 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Science and Society; Municipalities; Decision Making; Facilities; Power Technology; Construction (Process); Energy; Middle School Students; Controversial Issues (Course Content); Problem Solving; After School Programs; Environmental Influences; Sustainable Development; Grade 6; Grade 7

Abstract:
There is a growing consensus that simply learning enough science to decipher public debates on socioscientific issues will not make citizens better equipped to handle the complex and ill-structured problems these controversial issues present. This study highlights the interaction and complex interplay between youth authored and appropriated frames for making sense of socioscientific issues. To do so, we analyze how two middle-school aged youth, in an after-school program focused on green energy technologies, made sense of and took a stance on whether their city should build a new hybrid power plant over the course of a 13-week unit. Using critical sociocultural perspectives on learning and qualitative case study, we examined how the two youth navigated the issue and the resources, scientific and otherwise, they leveraged in defining the problem spaces involved in whether their city should build a new power plant. Our findings indicate that the scientific knowledge youth brought with them and acquired over the course of the investigation influenced how they made sense of the issue, but their knowledge was deeply connected to a range of personal and public discourses that influenced how they defined the issue and why it mattered to them. In particular, it was through how they framed their range of knowledge and experiences that they were able to recognize the multi-dimensional nature of the problem and propose complex solutions resonant with the science they understood. Our study offers conceptual tools for teaching and learning socioscientific issues. (Contains 1 table and 1 note.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Vocational Schools; Energy Conservation; Decision Making; Conservation (Environment); Sustainable Development; Construction (Process); Construction Materials

Abstract:
At Jefferson County Vocational School (JCVS) in Bloomingdale, Ohio, students get a lesson on building green with the construction of a home in the school's subdivision. The home is being built using Energy Star guidelines so that it may be identified as an Energy Star home. The goal for the Jefferson County Vocational Schools Board of Education was to build a home using green construction practices. This article outlines the decision-making process, the project's benefits to the future homeowner, the students and the environment. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Library Facilities; Energy Conservation; Lighting; Ventilation; Building Design; Construction Materials; Best Practices; Facility Improvement; Construction (Process)

Abstract:
This article stresses the importance of building design above technology as a relatively inexpensive way to reduce energy costs for a library. Emphasis is placed on passive solar design for heat and daylighting, but also examines passive ventilation and cooling, green roofs, and building materials. Passive design is weighed against technologies that actively capture renewable energy. Best practice examples include new construction and retrofits. Active technologies for capturing renewable energies, such as photovoltaic panels, can be employed when passive solutions are not realistic due to limitations resulting from site selection. Building or remodeling an environmentally sustainable building is more costly than a conventional equivalent, but long-term savings in energy and maintenance can more than compensate for the initial investment. Passive solar heat is particularly compatible with library functionality because it invites natural light into living spaces and eliminates noise that would otherwise exist with forced-air HVAC systems. Practical suggestions for subtle improvements to existing buildings are offered in addition to more ambitious construction projects. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Sustainable Development; Foreign Countries; Indigenous Knowledge; Epistemology; Sustainability; Education; Preservice Teachers; Elementary School Teachers; Public Colleges; Financial Support; Educational Finance; Organizational Development; Case Studies; Industry; Animal Husbandry; Risk Management; Decision Making; Water; Models; Construction (Process); Buildings; Maps; Oceanography; Housing; Measurement; Urban Areas; Ecology; Plants (Botany); Visual Aids; Developing Nations; Agriculture; Food; Earth Science; Natural Resources

Abstract:
Securing the future of the human race will require an improved understanding of the environment as well as of technological solutions, mindsets and behaviors in line with modes of development that the ecosphere of our planet can support. Some experts see the only solution in a global deflation of the currently unsustainable exploitation of resources. However, sustainable development offers an approach that would be practical to fuse with the managerial strategies and assessment tools for policy and decision makers at the regional planning level. Environmentalists, architects, engineers, policy makers and economists will have to work together in order to ensure that planning and development can meet our society's present needs without compromising the security of future generations. Better planning methods for urban and rural expansion could prevent environmental destruction and imminent crises. Energy, transport, water, environment and food production systems should aim for self-sufficiency and not the rapid depletion of natural resources. Planning for sustainable development must overcome many complex technical and social issues. This book contains the following chapters: (1) Indigenous Epistemologies, Sustainability and Schooling: The Case of South Africa (Anders Breidlid); (2) Malaysian Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding and Awareness of Environmental Knowledge (Mageswary Karpudewan and Zurida Ismail); (3) Alternative Perspective to Funding Public Universities in Nigeria (Shina Olayiwola); (4) Sustainable Business Development--A Case Study of the International Logistics Industry (Anna Larsson, Ronald Muyingo, Dmytro Serebrennikov, Shohana Ahmed and Cecilia Mark-Herbert); (5) The Obligation of Sustainable Fisheries Management: Review of Endured Failures and Challenges in Exploitation of the Living Sea (Hans-Joachim Ratz); (6) Modelling for Sustainable Development: Inundation Risk Management and Decision Making in Water Sector (Sellami Mohamed Habib and Siddiki Ezeddine); (7) Sustainable Building in Malaysia: The Development of Sustainable Building Rating System (Ar Zuhairuse MD Darus and Nor Atikah Hashim); (8) Mapping is a Key for Sustainable Development of Coastal Waters: Examples of Seagrass Beds and Aquaculture Facilities in Japan with Use of ALOS Images (Teruhisa Komatsu, Tatsuyuki Sagawa, Shuhei Sawayama, Hideaki Tanoue, Akihiko Mohri and Yoshihiko Sakanishi); (9) Sustainable Development of the Built Environment: The Role of the Residential/Housing Sector (Tom Kauko); (10) Using Index to Measure and Monitor Progress on Sustainable Development (Geoffrey K. F. Tso and Jin Li); (11) Sustainability in Urban Ecosystems and Detecting Urban Vegetation from Different Images Using an Object-Based Approach (Metin Tunay, Ayhan Atesoglu, Aycan M. Marangoz, Serkan Karakis and Hakan Akcin); (12) Sustainable Solutions in Development Countries--Lithuania Case (Marija Burinskiene and Vitalija Rudzkiene); (13) Sustainable Farming Systems vs Conventional Agriculture: A Socioeconomic Approach (Athanasios Theocharopoulos, Stamatis Aggelopoulos, Panoraia Papanagiotou, Katerina Melfou and Evangelos Papanagiotou); (14) Improving Food Security Risk Management for Sustainable Development (Menghestab Haile and Lieven Bydekerke); (15) Three Totally Different Environmental/GDP Curves (Leif Bratt); (16) Temporal-Spatial Changes of the Oasis in the Heihe River Basin over the Past 25 Years (Yaowen Xie, Linlin Li, Xiaojiong Zhao and Chunxia Yuan); and (17) Saving the World's Most Precious Resource (Dewi Rogers and Alessandro Bettin). Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Teaching Methods; Secondary School Teachers; Middle School Teachers; Reading Instruction; Student Interests; High School Students; Mathematics Instruction; Content Area Reading; Middle Schools; English Language Learners; Science Instruction; Vocational Education; Algebra; Scheduling; Laboratory Experiments; Science Experiments; Cues; Secondary School Mathematics; Secondary School Science; Construction (Process); Geometry; Experiential Learning; School Culture; Creativity; Inquiry; Active Learning; Student Projects; Communities of Practice; Faculty Development

Abstract:
Research has shown that certain ways of teaching can make a difference in whether students learn standards-based content. Many strategies have proven to be effective in teaching literacy, mathematics, science and social studies. These strategies have facilitated blending academic and career/technical subjects to make learning more meaningful for students who learn best by doing. Instructional techniques generally focus on engaging students in learning by reading and writing in English/language arts courses, strengthening understanding and reasoning skills in math, delving into textbooks and materials, doing lab projects in science, and using literacy and hands-on projects and problems in social studies. Authentic, integrated projects planned by academic and career/technical teachers working together and aligned to college- and career-readiness standards will motivate students to work harder and achieve at a higher level. Many schools are organizing teachers within and across disciplines and grade levels into professional learning communities (PLCs) to provide regularly scheduled opportunities to look at assignments and assessments to determine how to ensure these instructional activities meet standards. This issue of "High Schools That Work" contains the following articles: (1) Implement Reading, Writing and Literacy Strategies Into All Classes: Rethinking Reading in High School--Keep Students' Interests in Mind (Monty Wilson); (2) Bringing Literature Into the Mathematics Classroom: Making Connections That Enhance Student Performance (Deborah Seldomridge); (3) Rigor, Relevance, Relationships and Reading in All Content Areas Across the Curriculum (Amanda Gibbs, Joanna May and Sherry McEwen); (4) Strategies and Tips for Supporting English-Language Learners (Melissa Mink); (5) Use Proven Strategies to Increase Students' Mathematics Knowledge and Skills: Creating Mathematics Momentum Through Career/Technical Instruction (Ted Archer and Kathleen McNally); (6) Algebra I... Every Day... for 90 Minutes... All Year? (Jane Ebert); (7) Explore How Authentic Questions, Writing Prompts and Lab Experiments Can Help Students Learn More Science Content: Rigor, Relevance and Raising Student Achievement--The Three R's of Science Education (Donna Brown, Cynthia McCoy and Sara Myers); (8) Plan Authentic Integrated Projects for Academic and Career/Technical Courses to Align With Standards and Motivate Students to Achieve: Mathematics by Design--It All Adds Up (Connie DeMillo and Erick Lehet); (9) Construction Geometry: Real Relevance in the Classroom (Victor Doty and Beth Roberts); (10) Building a Culture of Creativity to Prepare Students for the Future (Eric Longwell); (11) Organize Teachers Into Professional Learning Communities in and Across Disciplines and Grade Levels to Ensure Assignments and Assessments Meet Standards: Promoting the Success of Professional Learning Communities (Ivy Alford, Debi Cline and Robert Frausto); and (12) Enhancing Learning Opportunities Through Professional Learning Communities (Carolyn Guthrie and Amanda Heinemann). Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Active Learning; Foreign Countries; Inquiry; Mathematics Activities; Teaching Methods; Construction (Process); Mathematical Logic; Mathematics Skills; Mathematical Formulas; Student Developed Materials; Problem Sets; Problem Based Learning; Action Research

Abstract:
The necessity of using inquiry-based learning (IBL) was recently recommended by studies and reports made for the European Commission. Several European projects are devoted to the widespread use of IBL methods. The effects of using IBL are studied worldwide. In the framework of the Seventh Framework Program (FP7) project PRIMAS, a series of piloting activities were organized in Romania in order to test, adapt and develop inquiry-based teaching materials. Most of these piloting actions were organised by local professional communities with the purpose of creating real feedback for the project and for gathering professional experience in implementing inquiry-based pedagogies in mathematics and science education. This article presents an activity where students were formulating the problems. Teachers were only creating the milieu and facilitating the work. As a second step, the accumulated experience related to this activity was used in a professional development (PD) course organised by the Babes-Bolyai University in the framework of the PRIMAS project. (Contains 10 figures and 1 footnote.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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