Awareness Project Research Articles

Mountain Adventures: Increasing Children's Awareness of the Importance of Native Plants through an Online Curriculum

Children, Youth and Environments Vol 13, No.2 (2003) ISSN 1546-2250 Mountain Adventures: Increasing Children's Awareness of the Importance of Native Plants through an Online Curriculum Alton C. Byers The Mountain Institute Amy Gifford National Gardening Association Native plants and their products play an extremely important role in the local life and national economies of developed and developing worlds. This is particularly apparent in mountain environments, where rapid changes in altitude, temperature, and habitat along the mountain slope result in unusually high biodiversity and endemism (plants or animals confined to specific environments). Throughout the Himalayan, Andes, and Appalachian mountains, hundreds of indigenous plants have traditionally provided people with foods, such as mushrooms, nuts, and greens; medicinal supplements, such as ginseng and plants rich in essential oils; and the means to make utilitarian products, such as rope and baskets. Knowledge of traditional “woods lore” in all three regions, however, has decreased dramatically in recent years, leading many to lament the growing detachment between young students and their natural environment. In order to build awareness of the global importance of native plants among U.S. teachers and secondary students, The Mountain Institute (TMI), in partnership with the National Gardening Association (NGA) and the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources, developed and implemented Plants, People, and Biodiversity Protection, a multifaceted ecological awareness project, in 2001. The project, culminating this March, receives funding from the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Development Education (“DevEd”) Program, dedicated to increasing U.S. public understanding of the role of foreign assistance to the humanitarian, economic, and security interests of the United States. 261 Plants, People, and Biodiversity Protection serves to increase youth understanding and awareness of the importance of native plants in the U.S. and abroad; the usefulness of native plants to millions of people worldwide as sources of food, medicine, and fiber; the localglobal commonalities in the historical and day-to-day use of plants; and the role of USAID in protecting native plants through international, community-based conservation projects. Project regions include the species-rich and traditional plant use cultures of the Himalayas, Andes, and Appalachians in order to maximize the opportunities provided by TMI, NGA, and Virginia Tech's ongoing initiatives within these regions. Project materials include six thematic articles on the importance of native plants (hardcopy and online); a new mountain curriculum developed with participating NGA teacher members (online); an online student collaborative project involving U.S., Nepali, and Peruvian students; and hardcopy and web-based information designed to reach secondary student audiences for years to come.1 Plants, People, and Biodiversity Protection already serves as a model for similar programs around the country, one of which is sponsored by the National Geographic Society. TMI will continue to act as an advisor to organizations implementing mountain-related curricula, and the Mountain Adventurescurriculum will remain accessible to teachers for years to come. Below, each of the Plants, People, and Biodiversity Protection components is described in detail. The Articles The Mountain Institute collaborated with Virginia Tech to produce six articles, illustrated with color photographs and maps, describing the domestic and international uses of native plants for food, medicine, dyes, fiber, and other utilitarian purposes. The last article in this series describes various domestic and international assistance efforts that protect indigenous plants through community-based biodiversity conservation programs, such as those in the Himalayas, Andes, and Appalachians. In each article, we emphasize the cross-cultural role of women as traditional keepers of botanical knowledge. The articles illustrate local-global connections in several ways, by providing: 262  descriptions of native plants found in the U.S. and their properties and traditional uses for food (e.g., morel mushrooms, fruits, nuts, berries, greens, teas); medicine (herbs, roots, inner bark of cherry and slippery elm trees); and fiber (basswood, dogbane, milkweed);  descriptions of the parallels and connections between the properties and uses of indigenous plants in the U.S., Nepal, and Peru (e.g., allo [stinging nettle] fiber and cloth, which was also used in the 17 th century in the U.S.; lokta [daphne bark] paper; chyau [morel mushrooms]);  stories about Nepali, Peruvian, and Appalachian women's knowledge and use of native plants...

Bilingualism and Language Education in French Primary Schools: Why and How Should Migrant Languages be Valued?

While bilingual education programmes in European mainstream languages are becoming increasingly popular in France, the bilingualism of migrant children remains overlooked and is believed by many to delay the acquisition of French. An institutionalised language hierarchy lies all too often unchallenged within the French education system and linguistic policies for primary schools, while trying to develop foreign language learning from the earliest age, fail to deal with the question of minority languages. This study presents a language awareness project in a small primary school in the Mulhouse area of Alsace as an example of how languages of unequal status can be placed on an equal footing in a school context, how children can be educated to linguistic and cultural variety and teachers made aware of the linguistic and cultural wealth present in their classes and their community. Finally, we shall argue that language awareness programmes do not have to compete with early foreign language teaching, but can be implemented in a complementary way, to educate children about language, languages and cultures, thus valuing differences as a source of learning, helping to foster tolerance and fight racism and extending teachers' knowledge and understanding of multilingual and multicultural issues.

Developing an emotional awareness programme for pupils with moderate learning difficulties at Durants School

Emotional awareness programmes and initiatives in education have a high profile. Training courses in emotional literacy and emotional literacy projects are being promoted nationwide. However, whilst many successful projects and programmes have taken place in the context of mainstream school settings, by comparison relatively fewer projects have been reported in special school settings. A seven-week emotional awareness project was designed for seven pupils in a Year 8 form group (12–13 years of age) who were presenting with emotional and emotional/behavioural difficulties in Durants School, which caters for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. The project drew upon principles of circle time and placed emphasis on multisensory activities and role play. The purpose of the project was to identify whether an emotional awareness programme would lead to an increase in the pupils’ awareness and understanding of their own emotions, and whether an awareness of other people’s feelings/emotions could be integrated as a core module of the school’s personal, social and health education curriculum. This project illustrates that an emotional awareness programme can be adapted creatively for pupils with special educational and learning needs without involving expensive resources, and can give pupils life skills that can be applied both in and out of the classroom.

Role of Victims' Services in Improving Intimate Partner Violence Screening by Trained Maternal and Child Health-Care Providers—Boston, Massachusetts, 1994-1995

From 1992 to 1996, approximately 1 million incidents of nonfatal intimate partner violence (IPV) occurred each year in the United States; 85% of victims were women. In 1989, pediatric research found a concurrence of victimization of mothers and their children and supported a recommendation that maternal and child health-care providers (HCPs) pursue training and advocate for increased access to services to promote the safety and well-being of mothers and their children. From 1992 to 1997, the Pediatric Family Violence Awareness Project (PFVAP), a training project for maternal and child HCPs, promoted prevention of and intervention for IPV in Massachusetts. In 1994, PFVAP conducted a pilot evaluation in two urban community health centers to determine whether HCPs trained to conduct IPV assessment would increase their screening rates of women at risk for IPV if an on-site referral service for victims was available. This report summarizes the results of the pilot project, which indicate that IPV screening rates did not increase after implementing on-site victim service.

From stigma to strategy.

This article outlines the Mental Health Awareness Project's (MHAP) innovative strategy to address the stigma associated with mental illness, and what concerns there should be for nurses--from the social inclusion agenda, through current legislation to clinical governance.

Free Samba: A music and cultural awareness project for teacher trainees

A perplexing aspect of music education is pupils performing a piece of non-European music such as samba without their knowing anything of the origins of the music or its cultural significance. Pupils may be unaware of who plays the music in its original context, and may retain inherited and stereotypical notions about the particular culture in which they have been engaged. A project, lasting a year, was initiated to ascertain the effects that an extended programme of work based on samba might have on students training to be teachers of music. The purpose of 'Free Samba' was twofold: to examine what musical skills students felt they had acquired; and to assess the value of learning not only the music but the cultural context of the music as well. The outcome of this study raises the question of whether it is possible to develop a true understanding of music without knowledge of its cultural context.

Breast awareness project for women with a learning disability.

In 1995/6, while conducting a quality assurance evaluation in a residential group home for adults with a learning disability, the subject of breast screening and the importance of early detection of breast abnormalities was raised by a member of staff. At the time, the Mulberry Trust had a quality standard that women between 50 and 64 years who are supported in continuing care should attend breast screening clinics on a 3-yearly basis if they wish. A pilot scheme was devised based on the premise that breast awareness for service users should be promoted. It was decided that the scheme should include a breast examination, conducted on a monthly basis, ideally by the service users themselves, or by suitably trained staff on their behalf. The pilot scheme was implemented using available research and training was provided for qualified nursing staff within the trust. The training covered breast cancer prevention and breast awareness. After 7 months the scheme was evaluated and changes were made to policy and practice, including consultation with the trust's ethics panel regarding implementation of procedures. Training for staff in breast awareness continues and the scheme is slowly being introduced across the trust to enable all service users to be involved, both in residential homes and community settings. However, in future, the emphasis will be on identifying changes in the breast during normal care routines, such as bathing and dressing, as opposed to formal, clinical examination.

Examples of Exemplary Practice in Adolescent Primary Health Care

As one of seven projects funded by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services to investigate exemplary practice in adolescent health, a study was undertaken in the Department's office in the Northern Metropolitan Region that examined two existing primary health projects: the Keeping in Touch with Schools (KITS) Project, auspiced by the Eltham Community Health Centre and Diamond Valley Secondary College in the City of Nillumbik, and the Youth Counselling Awareness and Support (YCAS) Project, auspiced by Kildonan Family Services in the City of Whittlesea. Proiect features that were explored included elements and type of service, referral pathways and linkages, consumer satisfaction and other service outcomes, elements critical to success, obstacles, supervision and staff training, standards and guidelines, planning and evaluation, promotion of the service, and organisational structure. The study found that a combination of characteristics contributed to the success of the two projects that were examined. These pertain to skills and expertise of staff, flexibility of the service, cost, the type of service model, co-location with other services, linkages and partnerships, outputs and outcomes, feedback, management structure, standards and guidelines, planning processes, and evaluation.

Preliminary evaluation of the effects of a nutrition awareness project on the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara communities of central Australia

Preliminary observations from one nutrition awareness project — Approaches to Failure to Ihrive – in progress in the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara region of central Australia are discussed, current strategies are listed and the need for multi-faceted solutions emphasised. A more rigorous quantitative evaluation is recommended, within the constraints of funding and access to data.

An HIV/AIDS Awareness Prevention Project in Sri Lanka: Evaluation of Drama and Flyer Distribution Interventions

An evaluation was done on an AIDS Awareness Project targeting the West Coast of Sri Lanka. Dramas, performed primarily by volunteers, depicted the causes and consequences of HIV/AIDS. Flyers illustrating specific facts about HIV/AIDS were given at the dramas and at specific sites, such as bus stations. A pencil and paper pre-post design was used to evaluate the dramas and revealed that the primary respondent was an educated male who was very knowledgeable about basic HIV/AIDS information and had learned this primarily from the media (television and newspapers). Changes in attitude occurred as a result of the intervention, with respondents becoming more aware of their susceptibility to the disease and more willing to seek out advice from the Buddhist clergy if diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. The flyer distribution intervention revealed that brochures that address various levels of literacy may be more accepted by the general public.

The University of Pennsylvania's Center for Community Partnerships as an Organizational Innovation for Advancing Action Research

The article describes the Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania as an organizational innovation designed to mobilize the range of university resources to solve the strategic problem of creating democratic, local cosmopolitan communities. We identify the Center's approach to this problem as helping to develop university-assisted community schools, schools transformed to function as centers and catalysts for community revitalization with ongoing support from an institution of higher education. We argue that communal action research, in which scholarly attention is focused upon the university's local geographic area in a continuous comprehensive partnership with the community studied, is a particularly promising approach for revitalizing communities, advancing knowledge, and integrating the university's missions of research, teaching, and service. We describe the Turner Nutritional Awareness Project (TNAP), which works to alleviate nutrition problems in a university-assisted community school, as an example of communal action research conducted by all participants in a common project. We conclude by describing the structure and operation of the Center for Community Partnerships, claiming that the Center itself is part of a broader organizational change occurring throughout the American academy as urban universities, in particular, respond to severe external crises as well as internal difficulties resulting from the separation of service from teaching and research.

Using Focus Groups to Discuss Sensitive Topics with Children

The Children's Health Awareness Project is presented as a case study of the use of focus groups for gathering sensitive information from children. General focus group techniques are described, as are the benefits and limitations of focus group methodology for social science applications. Recommendations are offeredfor other investigators planning to use this methodology to gather information from children, especially when sensitive topics are to be addressed.

Report of the National FeLV/FIV Awareness Project

Report of the National FeLV/FIV Awareness Project

National FeLV/FIV awareness project

National FeLV/FIV awareness project

Development and implementation of a quality assurance program for mammography.

As a pilot study for a national campaign to promote the use of screening mammography, the Virginia Division of the American Cancer Society conducted a breast cancer awareness project with mammography screening. An important part of the program was the development of a quality assurance program for mammography. Guidelines were established for equipment, image recorders, processing, dose, and patient positioning. A survey of information about the mammographic equipment was conducted, and the mammograms from each facility were reviewed. A total of 63 mammographic units in 56 facilities statewide were included in the month-long program during which approximately 9,000 women were screened.

Adolescent pregnancy: the perspective of the sisterhood of black single mothers.

The Sisterhood of Black Single Mothers Inc. (The Sisterhood) is an organization which exemplifies the considerable potential of community members united for a common good. The Sisterhood began eleven years ago under the leadership of Ms. Daphne Busby. The objective of the Sisterhood is "salvation of a generation subject to insensitivity and misunderstanding--through helping families, especially those headed by women and adolescent women--to establish a new and positive mind set." The Sisterhood regards individuals and social phenomenon as parts of a complex and dynamic whole and uses a positive approach to assessment of situations. Therefore, adolescents who come to the Sisterhood already parents, as well as those who may become parents in their formative years, are provided programming appropriate to their overall needs. They are given opportunities for help in such areas as: securing medical care, public assistance, counseling, housing and financial assistance. Outreach to other significant persons in the life of these adolescents includes intervention with the service providers with whom they come in contact (doctors, teachers, social workers etc.). In addition to addressing the practical needs of adolescents who come to the Sisterhood, positive examples of healthy ways of relating to others and presentation of a system of values consonant with self and family development are provided. Examples are: the Youth Awareness Project (YAP) which deals with concerns of young people as a specific group. The program's focus is bringing young people together who are growing in positive ways and encouraging continuation of that growth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Elder Abuse Awareness Project

Elder Abuse Awareness Project

Mass media and delinquency prevention: The case of “scared straight”

This paper focuses on the Oscar winning television documentary “Scared Straight.” This documentary describes the Juvenile Awareness Project (JAP) at Rahway State Prison in New Jersey, which attempts to deter juvenile delinquency by briefly exposing young offenders to the harsh realities of prison life. The paper analyzes the possible reasons for the popularity of this show and the JAP. It is suggested that factors such as the public perception of increasing crime rates, declining support for rehabilitation, and a dramatic promise of a new, synthetic solution for delinquency were among the major reasons for the success of the television documentary.

Ideology Awareness Project: An Exercise in Item Unit Content Analysis

The following describes an exercise in the content analysis of political ideologies. The method may be used to analyze virtually any type of material. Causal, solution, and outcome codes are given for the dominant ideologies on American social science. Detailed instructions are given for assigning an overall ideological code to a particular item. The author has used this method to analyze the ideological content of the writings of elite journals of social criticism. For most students, this exercise marks their introduction to such periodicals. Thus the exercise is valuable for teaching students to employ content analysis as a method of research, and in introducing them to the ideological statements of America's leading social critics.

The Engineer as a Radical?

Outdated and rigorous curricula are not only producing engineers unsuited to the challenges of the 1970's, but they are scaring off many of the most creative and intelligent students. Engineering education has become an endurance test; the excitement has been lost. Most students strive only to get out. Engineering schools have not yet realized the importance of the involvement of engineers in current environmental problems. They continue to present only the dry technical courses and seem unconcerned about the student's sense of social perspective or his motivation. This paper proposes a freshman awareness seminar plus project oriented learning in the following years as a remedy for this sad situation.