Matching Items (16)
Description
Resilience is defined as an individual's ability to cope or "bounce back" after experiencing stressful life events (Rew et al., 2001). Survivors of trauma who express high levels of resilience are more likely to experience positive future life outcomes than equally troubled peers with lower resilience scores. It is possible to increase resilience by targeting several core factors: (1) personal competence, (2) sense of belonging, (3) sense of optimism (Lee et al., 2009). I developed an eight-week creative writing curriculum to boost these three core factors in the hopes of both increasing resilience in homeless youth while also introducing creating writing as an effective coping strategy. Each one-hour session included free-form writing exercises, mindfulness practices, writing workshops, and group presentations. Prompts and activities were carefully developed to encourage resilience-building in a group of homeless children and adolescents of ages seven to fourteen at Homeward Bound in Phoenix. With sample writing works and facilitator feedback, this curriculum was designed to be exceptionally easy and cost effective for future implementation. I hope that other organizations in the future will consider implementing this program to help build resilience in youth who have experienced childhood trauma.
ContributorsPopeski, Cara (Author) / Popova, Laura (Thesis director) / Cavanaugh Toft, Carolyn (Committee member) / Pickhart, Kalani (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Classical pianists have struggled to reconcile personal artistic growth with the economic and cultural realities of a career as a musician. This paper explores the existing structure of North American undergraduate piano education and its development alongside sociological and cultural changes in the twentieth century. Through document study and interviews, I look at three different models of undergraduate piano curricula. Chapters One and Two explore the issues and history surrounding the traditional piano curriculum. Chapters Three and Four draw on interviews to study two different North American undergraduate curricula: a piano curriculum within a liberal arts environment of an American Conservatory-College, and a piano curriculum within a Canadian University Faculty of Music. Chapter Five concludes with a summary of these findings and potential recommendations for implementation. In this study, I suggest that changes to piano curricula were made because of a differing approach, one in which music is seen as an entrepreneurial vocation. These changes point to a discrepancy between what is being provided in the curriculum, and the actual skills that are needed in order to thrive in today's economy. Awareness of the constant flux of the current professional climate is necessary in order for pianists to channel their skills into the world. I theorize that changes in curricula were made in order to provide a better bridge for students to meet realistic demands in their career and increase their ability to impact the community.
ContributorsChoi, Rosabel (Author) / Kim, Kwang-Wu (Thesis advisor) / Campbell, Andrew (Committee member) / Hamilton, Robert (Committee member) / Levy, Benjamin (Committee member) / Pagano, Caio (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
The purpose of this project is to aid a chess coach in instructing a scholastic chess team. Included in the project is a guide to starting a scholastic chess club or team and recommended procedures for developing it. The reader is expected to know basic chess terminology and have at least a beginner's understanding of the game of chess (though a chess coach should probably be a competitive chess player). The portion of the introduction on starting a chess club is largely understandable to a person without a background in chess. A tactic is a combination of moves that clarify a chess position in favor of the executor. Chess problems are the demonstration of tactics in a chess game, and their purpose is to increase the player's tactical eye and his or her enjoyment of the game. The chess tactics in this project are geared toward an intermediate to advanced level chess player.
ContributorsGreen, Jeffrey Alan (Author) / Millard, Bruce (Thesis director) / Ashbrook, Mark (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
Current literature on sustainability education and its core competencies (systems thinking, normative, interpersonal, strategic, and future thinking) has yet to acknowledge the K-12 level, concentrating instead on higher-level institutions. To initiate study at the critical K-12 level, a curriculum module composed of four lessons to address the wicked sustainability problem of drought in the Sonoran Desert was developed, piloted, and evaluated. The framework of each lesson combined the core competencies and the 5Es pedagogy (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate). Two lessons were successfully piloted in two seventh grade middle-school science classes in Phoenix, Arizona. Topics addressed were the water cycle, types of drought, water systems, and mitigation methods. Evaluation determined a high level of student engagement. Post-pilot teacher questionnaires revealed a high degree of support for inclusion of sustainability education and core competencies addressing drought in future opportunities. It is concluded that lessons in the future can adopt the core competences of sustainability with the support of educators in Arizona.
ContributorsComeaux, Victoria (Co-author) / Harding, Bridget (Co-author) / Larson, Kelli L. (Thesis director) / Frisk Redman, Erin (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
American youth are not well exposed to animal- and nature-related careers. This is especially important to consider due to the recent push to be more environmentally conscious. In addition, youth are spending less time outside and more time in front of screens. This is driving down biophilia strength. The combination of a weaker connection with nature and more screen time has been connected to a new condition named Nature-Deficit Disorder. In order to expose youth to animal- and nature-related careers while attempting to combat the growing presence of Nature-Deficit Disorder, a three day teaching program named Wild Careers was created. This program was presented to teens in December 2015 through a partnership with the education department of Arizona Animal Welfare League. The curriculum was centered on highlighting relevant careers and background information. Topics such as animal welfare and conservation were taught as cornerstones during the program due to their encompassing importance to the career fields in question. It was felt to be important to inform participants about the context of these fields through specially planned activities and guest speakers. Participants were challenged to conduct online research, think critically, and get hands-on during this program. Wild Careers also exposed the participants to animals and the relevant species management stories. The surveys given before and after the presentation of the created curriculum provided evidence that supported an increased understanding of careers and enjoyment of participants. I propose that other non-formal teaching environments should be created that target exposing youth to animals, nature, and related careers.
ContributorsTaubel, Samantha Kay (Author) / Smith, Andrew (Thesis director) / Minteer, Ben (Committee member) / Arthur, Emilie (Committee member) / Division of Teacher Preparation (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Abstract As we move forward in education reform in the globalized 21st century, the United States must visit new ways to teach science in high school classrooms. The goal of this investigation is to analyze the current research literature for the best and most promising teaching strategies and techniques in secondary education biology classrooms that promote academic excellence for all students. Looking at policy and school reform literature in science education to establish the context of the current system, the paper will not focus on the political as or systematic changes needed to ground an overall successful system. However, because of their inherent effect on the education system, the political aspects of education reform will be briefly addressed. The primary focus, by addressing the emphasis on standardization, inflexibility of instruction and lack of creativity specifically in high school biology classrooms, seeks to clarify small changes that can influence students' academic outcomes. The United States is performing on such a poor level in science and math proficiency that it cannot match students abroad and this is seen through test scores and the production of competent graduates. This investigation serves to organize literature from education researchers and showcase best and promising teaching and learning practices that catalyze academic excellence for all students in our pluralistic, democratic and complex schooling and societal contexts.
ContributorsHildebrandt, Kevin Andrew (Author) / Ovando, Carlos (Thesis director) / Schugurensky, Daniel, 1958- (Committee member) / Fischman, Gustavo (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2013-05