http://hdl.handle.net/1974/914 Fri, 24 May 2013 21:33:44 GMT 2013-05-24T21:33:44Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7980 Title: Workshops for Transition to First-Year Commerce Program Authors: Daniel, Amanda Abstract: The aim of this workshop series was to create a First-Year Transition Program designed to attain help Commerce students achieve first-year success. The workshops were designed based on current student success literature surrounding academic, social, and motivational issues, and the needs of the students in the Commerce program at Queen’s University. The series includes four workshops: 1. Academic success boot camp, 2. Do I have time for a life?, 3. OMG my grades have dropped? Now what?, and 4. Reboot. Each workshop is designed to be offered at a different time during the first year of the program. The topics were chosen to advise students of important information that pertains to them at the particular point in time at which the workshop is being offered. The goal is that the students will attend to and process the information in the workshops because it applies to them at that moment and will help ease their transition. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7980 2013-04-29T04:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7854 Title: Explicit Vocabulary Instruction For Kindergarten Students Authors: Davis, Marijane Abstract: Learning to read begins at home as children hear their families talk and interact with one another (Hart & Risely, 1995). By age three children living in advantaged homes hear three times as many words as children living in disadvantaged homes (Hart & Risely, 1995). Words that are not heard cannot be learned (Biemiller, 2007). This can impact a child’s ability to comprehend written text as reading requires the ability to not only decode written words but also the ability to understand word meaning. This project summarizes the research on the factors that promote a pre-school child’s vocabulary development and the research on vocabulary instruction throughout the early school years. Research on curriculum design is also summarized and a curriculum unit was developed based on the principles of backwards design and evidence based instructional approaches to teach vocabulary explicitly in kindergarten. Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7854 2013-03-14T04:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7817 Title: Considering Leadership in Ontario Schools? A Workshop Series for Aspiring Leaders Authors: Young, Anna Abstract: A professional workshop series has been designed for the purpose of bringing together Ontario’s aspiring principal leaders who are considering moving into a leadership position. The workshop series accommodates working professionals who are unable to attend a full day. The workshops are designed for meeting once per week for two hours; however, a full day workshop could easily be accommodated. The four workshops provide a forum for professional dialogue and critical self-reflection. The workshop topics have been purposefully selected to provide participants with information about the Ontario Ministry of Education’s leadership initiatives. Issues one must consider before assuming a principal’s position are also presented to assist participants in making an informed decision about their leadership pathway. Participants will actively engage with the Institute for Education Leadership’s (n. d.) “Self Assessment Tool for Aspiring Leaders” document which was published for the purpose of assisting Ontario’s aspiring leaders with personalized leadership development. Future leaders will also be provided with information regarding administrative portfolio development, the Principal’s Qualification Program, and an extensive online leadership development reading list. Sun, 17 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7817 2013-02-17T05:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7678 Title: Reading and Writing Informational Texts While Exploring Soil Authors: Harding, Katie Abstract: Many students struggle with comprehending informational texts (Duke, 2004; Hall, Sabey, & McClellan, 2005; Stafford et al., 2005; Marinak & Gambrell, 2008; Read et al., 2008; Duke, 2010). Informational texts are particularly difficult to comprehend because they contain complex ideas and information that not only is usually unfamiliar to the reader (Williams et al., 2009), but is organized into different text structures such as description, sequence, compare and contrast, problem and solution, and cause and effect. Adding to the difficulty, the information in many informational books is often organized using a combination of these text structures (Stafford et al., 2005). This project addresses the difficulties associated with reading and writing informational texts. Also, it includes a curriculum unit demonstrating how such texts can be integrated into a grade 3 science unit on soil. It is written for elementary teachers who want to learn how to better prepare their students for the many nonfiction texts they will encounter throughout their educational career and entire life. It is especially intended for teachers who tend to focus on teaching with narrative texts because that is what they are comfortable with. The research and lessons that comprise this project are meant to support teachers so that they might have a better understanding of how to teach their students to read and write informational texts and the importance of doing so. Wed, 05 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1974/7678 2012-12-05T05:00:00Z