text:
Hamzeh M DodeenI; Faisal Abdelfattah and Saleh AlshumraniII
IDepartment of Psychology and Counselling, United Arab Emirates University firstname.lastname@example.com
IIThe Excellence Research Center of Science and Mathematics Education, Psychology Department, King Saud University
Test-taking skills are cognitive skills that enable students to undergo any test-taking situation in an appropriate manner. This study is aimed at assessing the relationship between students' test-taking skills and each of the following variables: motivation to learn mathematics; mathematics anxiety; attitudes towards mathematics; and attitudes towards tests. The study was conducted on a random sample of 626 (372 males and 254 females) secondary school students. The following instruments were used in the data collection: the Test-taking Skills Scale (TSS); the Mathematics Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MMSLQ); the Mathematics Anxiety Scale-Revised (MAS-R); the Mathematics Attitude Inventory (MAI); and the Attitude towards Tests Scale (ATS). A positive and significant relationship was reported between students' test-taking skills and each student's motivation to learn mathematics, attitudes towards mathematics, and attitudes towards tests; while mathematics anxiety was shown to have a significant negative relationship with test-taking skills. Test-taking skills account for more than 30% of the variation in motivation to learn mathematics, 25% in attitudes towards mathematics, 17% in mathematics anxiety, and more than 40% in attitude toward tests. The study concluded the improvement of secondary students' testing skills to be significantly correlated with variables that play a substantial role in a student's level of achievement in mathematics.]]> Keywords: attitudes toward mathematics; attitudes toward tests; mathematics anxiety; motivation to learn mathematics; test-taking skills
Test-taking skills are cognitive skills that allow students to undertake any test-taking situation in an appropriate manner, and to know what to do before, during, and after the test (Dodeen, 2009). These skills help students to translate their knowledge from classroom learning to answering and responding to questions when taking tests. Test-taking skills positively affect students' test-taking competency and hence impact upon their academic achievement. Test-taking skills are transferable skills (Sefcik, Bice & Prerost, 2013), where once acquired, students may be enabled to use these skills across a variety of subjects and within different settings and conditions. Moreover, most test-taking skills are useful in a students' practical life, where they may benefit their effective use of time, ability to set priorities, ability to work both fast and accurately, and to make sure ideas become directly evident.
Research shows that the motivation to learn (O'Neil & Drillings, 1994; Pajares & Kranzler, 1995); anxiety (Cates & Rhymer, 2003; Ryan & Ryan, 2005); as well as attitudes towards subject matter (Chang, 1990; Dwyer, 1993), play a major role in students' achievement. Additionally, studies have shown that attitudes towards tests in general affect student achievement (Eggleston, 1988; Perney & Ravid, 1990). The effects of these variables (motivation, attitudes towards mathematics, and attitudes towards tests) on achievement have been clearly established in the related literature. The important question in this instance pertains to the way in which these variables might be re-organised so as to improve student achievement. One solution to this question is to improve students' test-taking skills. Test-taking skills are related to the motivation to learn and to the attitudes students may hold with regards to specific subjects (Dodeen, 2009; Peng, 2005; Steele & Arth, 1998). Additionally, test-taking skills can be effectively used to help examinees eliminate any feelings of tension and anxiety that may interfere with their ability to communicate what they know in a test situation (Austin, Partridge, Bitner & Wadlington, 1995). Therefore, improving students' testing skills is likely to indirectly improve student achievement.
Learning mathematics is cumulative in nature, where each step depends on another, and progress is made from simple tasks to more complex ones. At the national level, mathematics achievement is often associated with the economic future of the country, and is considered as one of the school subjects that the students perceived to be the most challenging, difficult, complex, and abstract (Schwartz, 2000). "The desire to understand and identify factors that may have meaningful and consistent relationships with mathematics achievement has been commonly shared among national leaders, policy makers, and educators around the world" (Phan, Sentovich, Kromrey, Dedrick & Ferron, 2010:2). In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), there have been concerns amongst researchers and educators regarding the low performances of Saudi students in internationally collected mathematical assessments. For example, in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) of 2003, the five lowest performing countries were the Philippines, Botswana, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, and South Africa. In TIMSS 2011, the same situation could be found, where the performance of Saudi Arabia was among the world's lowest, with a rank of 37 out of 45. In addition, TIMSS reports showing that Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Egypt are among those developing countries where students struggled to attempt mathematical problems independently, and to achieve success (Jurdak, 2009). The performance of South African students in mathematics was also poor, as revealed in another international study, the Second Southern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ II) (Moloi & Strauss, 2005). Therefore, test-taking skills and other variables would be of interest to most researchers and teachers, and might be seen as a means to improving grades; and might be further foreseen to fulfill the desire of educators to both identify and understand factors related to mathematics achievement specially in developing economies.
This study examines the relationship between students' test-taking skills and each of the following variables: motivation to learn mathematics; mathematics anxiety; attitudes towards mathematics; and attitude towards tests. Conclusions from the study will add insight to the learning and teaching of mathematics, as well as to a more nuanced understanding of the context of the classroom setting.
Literature Review
Currently, tests are employed as a universal tool for decision-making in most societies, and individuals are evaluated according to their achievement on these tests. As a result, a major concern for students and teachers worldwide is the ability to perform better on tests (Al Fraidan & Al-Khalaf, 2012). Studies indicate that students with test-taking skills improved attitudes towards tests, demonstrated lower levels of anxiety, and achieved better results (Peng, 2005; Perney & Ravid, 1990; Steele & Arth, 1998). Even students familiar with the subject matter may do poorly in tests due to poor test-taking skills (Sweetnam, 2002). Some researchers argue that test-taking skills are as important as having the knowledge or information to answer the test questions (Langerquist, 1982). However, this does not mean that these skills can replace knowledge of the materials or the preparation for the test, but rather, it means that having such skills helps students improve their scores and performance.]]> Apart from ability, students' performance on tests is also affected by psychological, cognitive, and personal factors, which may include: motivation to learn a specific subject; level of related anxiety; attitudes towards a specific subject; attitudes towards tests; and test-taking skills (Hambleton, Swaminathan & Rogers, 1991). Research about the effect of these variables on achievement in mathematics is briefly discussed in the following paragraphs.
Motivation to Learn Mathematics
Motivation refers to "the reasons for directing behaviour towards a particular goal, engaging in a certain activity, or increasing energy and effort to achieve the goal" (Liu & Lin, 2010:222). It also refers to the intensity, initiation, and persistence of human behaviour (Kleinginna & Kleinginna, 1981). Student motivation plays an essential role in learning (O'Neil & Drillings, 1994; Pajares & Kranzler, 1995). Agar and Knopfmacher (1995) reported the most significant problematic components of learning in the affective domain in South Africa to have been motivation and anxiety. In Taiwan, Liu and Lin (2010) studied the motivation to learn mathematics and learning strategies of Taiwanese students from Grades 10 to 12. The results showed that students display a low motivation in learning mathematics, but that male students showed a higher motivation in learning mathematics than females. Motivation was found to correlate significantly with undergraduate performance in intermediate Algebra (Belcheir, 2002). MacNamara and Penner (2005) also reported that mathematics abilities among first year college students were positively correlated with their motivation level.
Mathematics Anxiety
Many students suffer from mathematics anxiety (Armstrong, 1985). This anxiety causes students to perform poorly in maths courses, and to show difficulty in situations that involve mathematical processes (Wigfield & Meece, 1988). It also causes students to lose confidence when in mathematical situations, and has an impact on their future success (Chinn, 2009). While a reasonable level of anxiety is useful to motivate a student, a high level of anxiety may interfere with the way in which students perform (Strand, 2003), and this may negatively affect his/her concentration and organisation of ideas and thoughts. In a test, highly anxious students generally spend much more time on irrelevant thoughts, rather than on vital tasks, and usually have poor study habits as well (Culler & Holahan, 1980). Additionally, individuals with mathematics anxiety try to avoid careers and environments that require mathematical skills (Ash-craft, 2002). Among the several methods of reducing mathematics anxiety is the development of appropriate test-taking skills (Buxton, 1981; Steele & Arth, 1998).
Attitudes towards Mathematics
Generally, attitudes towards subject matter have a positive relationship with achievement and success in that subject (Schofield, 1982; Wilson, 1983). When it comes to mathematics, this can be defined in terms of either a positive or negative emotional disposition towards mathematics (Zan & Martino, 2007). Successful experience of a student in mathematics tests and tasks can make him/her develop positive attitudes towards learning it (Akinsola & Olowojaiye, 2008). Alrwais (2000) examined the correlation between student attitude towards learning mathematics, students' mathematical creativity and grades, and the way in which these factors have an effect on achievement. This study showed student attitude towards learning mathematics to be the best predictor of success. Wang (2008) reported that the student valuation of mathematics has a significant effect on performance in mathematics in South Africa. Other researchers found that there are differences in attitudes with regards to student gender (Leder & Forgasz, 1994; Murphy & Ross, 1990). According to research, bachelor degrees granted in Mathematics fell by 19% between 1990 and 2000 in American universities. Attitude towards mathematics was found to be one of the factors affecting undergraduate enrolment in mathematics in the United States of America (USA) (Lutzer, Maxwell & Rodi, 2002). However, the reported findings that showed a relationship between attitudes and achievement should not be considered to be definite. There are other researchers who have reported a weak relationship between components of attitudes and mathematics achievement (Atnafu, 2010).
Attitudes towards Tests
Several studies have been conducted on attitudes towards tests and related variables. For example, Birenbaum and Feldman (1998) studied student attitudes towards both open-ended and multiple choice test formats, and learning and test-taking skills. Their results indicated that students with good test-taking skills prefer the open-ended format over that of multiple choice. In addition, highly anxious students tended to prefer the multiple choice format over the constructed-response format. Eggleston (1988) studied the relationship between students' attitudes towards tests and their achievement and found that attitudes towards tests may cause underachievement. Additionally, Perney and Ravid (1990) investigated the relationship between achievement and students' attitudes towards tests. Their results indicated that there is a moderate positive correlation between attitudes towards tests and achievement. Mwamwenda (1994) showed a statistically significant difference in academic achievement related to the level of test anxiety amongst students; while Dodeen and Abdelmabood (2005) examined the effect of teaching test-taking skills on students' achievement and attitudes towards tests, where students were taught specific test-taking skills for multiple-choice items in English over a period of six weeks. The results showed that students' attitudes towards tests were improved.
Objectives]]> This study aimed to achieve the following goals, with respect to secondary school students in mathematics in Saudi Arabia:
1. Determine levels of students' test taking skills; their motivation to learn mathematics; their mathematics anxiety; their attitudes towards mathematics; and their attitudes towards tests; as well as to compare male and female students on each of these variables.
2. Assess the relationship between student test-taking skills and each of the following variables: motivation to learn mathematics; mathematics anxiety; attitudes towards mathematics; and attitudes towards tests, respectively.
3. Assess the contribution of test-taking skills to the prediction of each of the following variables: motivation to learn mathematics, mathematics anxiety, attitudes towards mathematics, and attitudes towards tests.
Population and Sample
The study was conducted on secondary school students from Grades 10, 11, and 12, in the KSA. A random sample of 626 students was selected to participate in this study. The students were asked to respond to all instruments used to collect the data. Data were collected in the classroom setting with the help of school teachers. Participating students were told about the goals of the study; while informed about the way in which they were selected, and that their participation was not mandatory. They were also informed that all information and data collected in the study would be kept confidential, used only for the purposes of research.
The following instruments were used in the data collection process in this study:]]> Test-taking Skills Scale (TSS)
Students' test-taking skills were assessed using the Test-taking Skills Scale (TSS) developed by Dodeen (2008). The scale consists of 31 items distributed into four subscales: Before-Test; Time Management; During-Test; and After-Test. Examples of the scale items include: "I estimate how much time I have to answer each question"; "If I do not know the answer, I make an intelligent guess"; and "I determine the reasons that effectively reduce my scores on the test". A high score on the TSS indicates the student to have appropriate test-taking skills. The TSS scale was developed on undergraduate students of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU).
Motivation to Learn Mathematics
Motivation to learn maths was assessed using a motivation scale modified from MMSLQ. The MMSLQ was developed at the National Center for Research in order to improve postsecondary teaching and learning at the University of Michigan (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia & McKeachie, 1991). The questionnaire was designed to assess college students' motivational orientations and their use of different learning strategies. The Motivation to Learn Mathematics (MLM) scale consists of 14 items in three domains, namely: Intrinsic Goal Orientation (4 items); Extrinsic Goal Orientation (5 items); and Task Value (5 items). Intrinsic goal orientation focuses on the internal reasons that motivate a given student to participate in specific mathematical tasks, such as satisfaction and curiosity, for example: "I would like to have curiosity-initials materials in maths class even though they are quite difficult". Extrinsic goal orientation focuses on the external reasons for a given student's interest in mathematics, such as achieving good grades, or receiving praise from others, for example: "my main aim is to get the best grades in maths class". Task value refers to a given student's awareness of the usefulness and importance of mathematics, and were worded, for example: "What I learn in the maths class can be applied in my daily life". All the items in this scale use the five-point Likert scale as follows: strongly disagree (1); disagree (2); neutral (3); agree (4); and strongly agree (5). A high score on MLM indicates a high level of motivation to learn mathematics.
Mathematics Anxiety
Students' math anxiety was measured using the MAS-R developed by Bai, Wang, Pan & Frey (2009). MAS-R was developed using a sample of undergraduate students from different disciplines enrolled in entry-level mathematics courses. The scale is intended to be a bi-dimensional measure that would capture both the positive and negative effects of mathematics anxiety. MAS-R consists of 14 items that assess student feelings towards mathematics. Examples of MAS-R are "I worry about my ability to solve math problems", "Mathematics makes me feel nervous", and "Mathematics is one of my favorite subjects". All the items in this scale use the five-point Likert scale to indicate: strongly disagree (1); disagree (2); neutral (3); agree (4); and strongly agree (5). The scores of all the positively stated items were to be reversed before being calculated. A high score on MAS-R suggests a high level of mathematics anxiety.
Attitudes towards Mathematics
Students' attitudes towards maths were assessed using the MAI developed by Ahmad (1986). This inventory consists of 15 items measuring students' attitudes towards mathematics. MAI was developed and validated on samples of secondary students in Qatar. Examples of this inventory are: "Mathematics is a very worthwhile and necessary subject"; "I hate Mathematics because it makes me nervous"; "Mathematics helps me in developing accurate methods of thinking"; and "Mathematics is a necessary subject for daily life issues". Respondents were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale, ranged from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree". A high score on the MAI indicates positive attitudes towards mathematics.
Attitudes towards Tests
Student attitudes towards tests were assessed using the ATS developed by Dodeen (2008). ATS was developed with participation from undergraduate college students at UAEU. Examples from the instrument are: "Tests motivate me to study hard"; "For me, taking tests is a painful experience"; and "I learn many skills during tests". Respondents were rated on a 5-point scale, Likert-type ranged from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree". A high score on ATS suggests positive attitudes towards tests.]]>
Prior to the statistical analyses, all variables in the collected data set were screened for outliers or extreme values, where none were identified. The data were also screened for missing values. Most of the scales' variables had very few missing cases, which did not affect the results. Additionally, all items written in the negative direction on each scale were reversed to further analysis. This resulted in reversing the following items in the corresponding scale:
1. In the TSS, 10 items were reversed so the high score in this scale implies that the student uses appropriate skills in tests.
2. All items in the Mathematics Motivation Scale were written in the same positive direction, thus no item was reversed in this scale.
3. In the MAS-R, seven items were stated in the positive direction; thus, they were reversed, so that the high score in this scale means a high level of mathematics anxiety.
4. Six items were reversed in the MAI, where the high score means positive attitudes towards mathematics.
5. Finally, four items were reversed in the ATS such that the high score can be interpreted as a reflection of positive attitudes towards tests.
A random sample of 626 secondary students from KSA secondary school students participated in this study. Table 1 describes the demographics of the participating students. Around 60% of students were males. The three secondary classes (the 10th, 11th and 12th grades) saw near equal representation in the sample.]]>
Reliability Analysis
To assess the reliability of the five scales used in the study, Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency was calculated for each scale. Table 2 summarizes the reliability coefficient of each scale, along with the number of items. These results indicate that each scale had an acceptable internal consistency level. The only exception is the TSS subscale. The overall reliability of the TSS is (.74) which is acceptable value (the minimum advisable level is .70) (Nunnally, 1994); although it may be reduced to .60 in exploratory research (Hair, Anderson, Tatham & Black, 1995). However, two subscales of TSS (Before-Test Skills and During-Test Skills) showed lower reliability values.
]]> Descriptive statistics were calculated to answer the first research question, which seeks to determine student test taking skills, their motivation to learn mathematics, their mathematics anxiety, their attitudes towards mathematics, and their attitudes towards tests. In addition, to comparison between male and female students on each of these variables, the t test was applied for each subscale.
Test-Taking Skills
Students responded to the TSS, which consisted of the following four subscales: Before-Test Skills (8 items); Time Management (7 items); During-Test Skills (11 items); and After-Test Skills (5 items). Students indicated the way in which each item might match their actual skills or behavior when taking tests. The means and standard deviations of the students' responses on each of the four subscales were calculated and are indicated in Table 3.
As can be observed from Table 3, student test-taking skills are below the midpoint average on the four subscales. This means that participant students do not have the appropriate test-taking skills as measured by these subscales. The highest average was found to be in the Before-Test subscale, while the lowest average was found to be in the After-Test subscale.
Table 3 summarizes the mean average of male and female student responses, respectively. Similar results were observed for both males and females, especially in the Before-Test Skills and in the Time Management subscale. These small, non-practical differences between males and females' responses were statistically evaluated by conducting independent t tests on each subscale. As expected, the t test results were not significant (at .05 level); except on the After-Test subscale, in which females showed slightly better results than their male counterparts. Nevertheless, one can conclude from these results that both boys and girls lack the necessary testing skills.
Motivation to Learn Mathematics]]> The results indicated that overall motivation level to learn mathematics was less than the average (M = 2.38, SD = 0.64). Although the overall mean is low, individual items like "In math class, I would like to have some challenging materials" (M = 3.52, SD = 1.30), and "I like every topics and contents in math class" (M = 3.24, SD = 1.23), achieved higher rank. On the other hand, items like "My most wanting is to get best grades in math class" (M = 1.15, SD = 0.52), and "I hope I can get higher grade in math than any other classmates" (M = 1.46, SD = 0.84), ranked very low. It seems that students, are, in general, motivated more by specific topics and materials in mathematics than they are by achieving good grades. Using an independent t test, no significant difference in motivation to learn mathematics between males and females was observed (t (560) = 0.874, p = .383).
Mathematics Anxiety
The mean of student responses on the MAS-R was less than the average (M = 2.97, SD = 0.93). When comparing male and female responses, a significant difference was observed. The mean of males on the MAS-R was 2.86 (SD = 0.95), while the mean of females was 3.12 (SD = 0.89). This indicates that female students are more anxious about mathematics than their male counterparts. This difference was supported by the significant result obtained from conducting an independent t test (t (556) = -3.27, p < .001).
Attitudes towards Mathematics
The overall mean of all responses on the MAI was 2.63, (SD = 0.89). The highest mean was for the items "I enjoy learning math and I feel happy in math class" (M = 3.44, SD =1.29) and "Mathematics is one of my favourite subjects" (M = 3.12, SD = 1.36). On the other hand, the items "Mathematics is useless" (M = 2.23, SD = 1.30), and "Mathematics enhances scientific thinking" (M = 2.25, SD = 1.20), received the lowest mean averages. When comparing males and females responses, the mean of male students on the MAI scale was 2.68 (SD = 0.92), while the mean of female students was 2.54 (SD = 0.82). This can be interpreted to mean that both genders are likely to have similar attitudes towards mathematics, where the difference between these two groups was not found to be significant (t (532) = 1.80, p = .07).
Attitude towards Tests
The overall mean of students' responses to ATS was 2.47 (SD = 0.61). The highest two means were for items "I think taking a test is a useful experience" (M = 3.67, SD = 1.22) and "I prefer subjects with many tests" (M = 3.24, SD = 1.31). The lowest two means were for items "Test helps me concentrate on important points" (M = 2.03, SD = 1.10), and "Tests help determine my achievement level" (M = 2.11, SD = 1.15). A significant difference was observed between male and female responses. The mean of male responses was 2.48 (SD = 0.63) while the mean of females was 2.45 (SD = 0.58). The difference was not significant (t (526) = 0.57, p = .57).
Relationships between Test-taking Skills and the other Variables
The second research question assessed the relationships between students' test-taking skills and each of the following variables: motivation to learn mathematics; attitudes towards mathematics; mathematics anxiety; and attitudes towards tests. Zero-order Pearson correlations were used to assess the magnitude and the direction of these relationships. The correlation coefficients and their corresponding significance levels are listed in Table 4.
The relationship between students' test-taking skills and their motivation to learn mathematics was positive and statistically significant (r = .42). Similar results were obtained for the relationship between test-taking skills and attitudes towards mathematics. As for attitudes towards tests, the relationship with test-taking skills was also positive and statistically significant; but it is even stronger than the relationships with other variables. The relationship between test-taking skills and math anxiety was negative and significant (r = -.30). This can be interpreted to mean that students who do not have test-taking skills are likely to have higher levels of anxiety towards tests.
The third research question aimed to predict each of the four variables in the study by test-taking skills. Specifically, the four test-taking skills subscales (Before-Test, Time Management, During-Test, and After-Test) were used to predict student motivation to learn mathematics; attitudes towards mathematics; mathematics anxiety; and attitudes towards tests, in separate models.
The results of the multiple regressions are summarized in Table 5. It appears that test-taking skills in Dependent 1 were able to account for more than 30% of the variation in motivation to learn mathematics. Except for the Before Test subscale, the other subscales were statistically significant. In Dependent 2, the students' attitudes towards mathematics were predicted from the four test-taking skills subscales. It was possible to use predictors to interpret 25% of the variability in attitudes towards mathematics. In this case, only the Time Management subscale was not a significant predictor (t = 0.99, p = .32). In Dependent 3, Test-taking skills were able to account for 17% of the variability in mathematics anxiety. The negative beta values confirm the expected negative relationship between test-taking skills and anxiety in mathematics. Once again, Time Management was the only non-significant predictor in this model (t = -0.45, p = .65). Finally, in Dependent 4, the best prediction values could be found in predicting attitudes towards tests. In this case, all test-taking skills variables proved to be significant predictors, and used together were able to account for more than 40% of variability.
Educational models that work well for a developed country may not apply to the circumstances in a developing country (Phan et al., 2010). Therefore, models attempt to identify factors related to achievement and connected variables could be used to help evaluate and improve the effectiveness of mathematics education on similar educational systems in developing countries. Additionally, there is lack of international studies related to student achievement in developing countries. Phan et al. (2010:2) have observed that "low income countries as well as those that performed poorly in international achievement studies such as South Africa, Chile, and Egypt, were rarely included in international research studies."
The results of this study indicated that participating students (both males and females) do not have the appropriate test-taking skills they need to ensure acceptable levels of achievement. The results also indicated that overall motivation levels to learn mathematics, their attitudes towards mathematics, and their attitude towards tests, proved to be less than average. Connecting these findings to existing literature, research shows that these three variables play significant roles in students' achievement in mathematics (Agar & Knopfmacher 1995; Chang, 1990; Dodeen & Abdelmabood, 2005; Eggleston, 1988; Mwamwenda 1994; O'Neil & Drillings, 1994; Pajares & Kranzler, 1995; Perney & Ravid, 1990). Additionally, results indicated that there is a positive and significant relationship between student test-taking skills and motivation to learn mathematics, attitudes towards mathematics, and attitudes towards tests. More specifically, test-taking skills accounted for more than 30% of the variation in motivation to learn mathematics; 25% of the variability in attitudes towards mathematics; and more than a 40% variation in attitudes towards tests. Therefore, it can be deduced that improving the specific skills required when taking tests will improve student motivation and attitudes.]]> Mathematics anxiety can meanwhile be seen to have negative effects on student performance in mathematics (Cates & Rhymer, 2003; Culler & Holahan, 1980; Ryan & Ryan, 2005; Wigfield & Meece, 1988). In this study, the relationship between test-taking skills and mathematics anxiety was found to be both negative and significant. This suggests that reducing students' mathematics anxiety may also be achieved through improving their skills when it comes to how to deal with tests and examinations.
Test-taking skills can be developed and achieved by teaching students in a systematic manner, similar to that applied in the acquisition of any other set of skills. The effects of teaching test-taking skills on student performance and achievement have been investigated by several studies. For example, Dolly and Williams (1986) and Sweetnam (2002) have reported on how teaching test-taking skills resulted in improving student scores on examinations. Vattanapath and Jaiprayoon (1999) investigated the effectiveness of teaching test-taking skills on achieving higher scores in English tests. It was found that the participating students achieved higher scores and developed positive attitudes toward the learning of test-taking skills. Carraway (1987) reported that teaching test-taking skills decreased test anxiety and increased test scores. Similarly, Dodeen and Abdelmabood (2005) reported that teaching test-taking skills improved students' attitudes toward tests and decreased their anxiety.
A limitation of the current study can be found in the fact that it does not assess the direct relationship between testing skills and mathematics achievement. A recommendation for future studies is to utilise other data resources, such as classroom observations, interviews, and teacher reports. More investigations could be conducted to test the relationships between attitudes, motivation, test-taking skills, and school performance in mathematics within different school levels. The results of this study have implications for teachers and educators to help them better understand the importance of test-taking skills on student motivation and attitudes. This understanding may help educators to make better decisions about educational opportunities and curriculum development. In addition, teacher preparation programmes should pay more attention to the variety of instructional approaches that pre-service teachers can use to enhance student testing skills, as well as on their motivation to learn mathematics and to reduce their own anxiety in the process of assessment.
This research was conducted as part of the research group (Development Assessment in Science and Mathematics) with the support of the Excellence Research Center of Science and Mathematics Education (ECSME), King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
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Dwyer EE 1993. Attitude scale construction: A review of the literature (ERIC Number: ED359201). Available at http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED359201.pdf. Accessed 31 March 2014. [ Links ]
Eggleston MH 1988. Freshmen attitudes and the college placement test (ERIC Number: ED324584). [ Links ]
Hair J, Anderson R, Tatham R & Black W 1995. Multivariate data analysis (4th ed). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc. [ Links ]
Hambleton RK, Swaminathan H & Rogers HJ 1991. Fundamentals of item response theory. Newburg Park, CA: Sage Publications. [ Links ]
Jurdak M 2009. Toward equity in quality in mathematics education. New York: Springer. [ Links ]
Kleinginna PR & Kleinginna AM 1981. A categorized list of emotion definitions, with suggestions for a consensual definition. Motivation and Emotion, 5(4):345-379. doi: 10.1007/BF00992553 [ Links ]
Langerquist S 1982. Nursing examination review: Test-taking strategies. MenloPark, CA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. [ Links ]
Leder G & Forgasz, H 1994. Single-sex mathematics classes in a co-educational setting: A case study. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. [ Links ]
Liu EZF & Lin CH 2010. The survey study of mathematics motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MMSLQ) for Grade 10-12 Taiwanese students. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 9(2):221-233. Available at http://www.tojet.net/articles/v9i2/9223.pdf. Accessed 31 March 2014. [ Links ]]]> Lutzer DJ, Maxwell JW & Rodi SB 2002. Statistical abstract of undergraduate programs in mathematics sciences in the United States. Providence, RI: American Mathematical
Society. Available at http://www.ams.org/profession/data/cbms-survey/cbmssurvey-frnt.pdf. Accessed 31 March 2014.
MacNamara D & Penner K 2005. First-year math students: Using study skills and motivation to predict academic success. Kwantlen University College. Available at http://www.kpu.ca/shared/assets/Math_Retention_Study2878.pdf. Accessed 20 September 2012. [ Links ]
Moloi M & Straus J 2005. The SACMEQ II project in South Africa: A study of the conditions of schooling and the quality of education. Harare: SACMEQ. [ Links ]
Murphy LO & Ross SM 1990. Protagonist gender as a design variable in adapting mathematics story problems to learner interest. Educational Technology Research and Development, 38(3):27-37. doi: 10.1007/BF02298179 [ Links ]
Mwamwenda TS 1994. Gender differences in scores on test anxiety and academic achievement among South African university graduate students. South African Journal of Psychology, 24(4):228-230. doi: 10.1177/008124639402400409 [ Links ]
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Phan H, Sentovich C, Kromrey J, Dedrick R & Ferron J 2010. Correlates of mathematics achievement in developed and developing countries: An analysis of TIMSS 2003 eighth-grade Mathematics scores. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, Colorado, 30 April - 4 May. Available at http://images.pearsonassessments.com/images/tmrs/tmrs_rg/phan_AERA10_TIMSS2003_CorrelatesofMathAchievement_AERA_2010.pdf?WT.mc_id=TMRS_Correlates_of_Mathematics_Achievement. Accessed 1 April 2014. [ Links ]
Pintrich PR, Smith DAF, Garcia T & McKeachie WJ 1991. A manual for the use of the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ) (ERIC Number: ED338122). MI: National Centre for Research to Improve Post-secondary Teaching and Learning. Available at http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED338122. Accessed 1 April 2014. [ Links ]
Ryan KE & Ryan AM 2005. Psychological processes underlying stereotype threat and standardized math test performance. Educational Psychologist, 40(1): 53-63. doi: 10.1207/s15326985ep4001_4 [ Links ]
Schofield HL 1982. Sex, grade level, and the relationship between mathematics attitude and achievement in children. The Journal of Educational Research, 75(5):280-284. Available at http://www.jstor.org/stable/27539910. Accessed 1 April 2014. [ Links ]
Schwartz AE 2000. Axing math anxiety. Education Digest, 65(5):62-64. Available at http://0-web.b.ebscohost.com.innopac.up.ac.za/ehost/pdíviewer/pdíviewer?sid=29d46c80-5127-4dec-bdee-5a7107693cf5%40sessionmgr110&vid=2&hid=127. Accessed 1 April 2014. [ Links ]
Sefcik D, Bice G & Prerost F 2013. How to study for standardized tests. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. [ Links ]
Steele F & Arth AA 1998. Lowering anxiety in the math curriculum. Education Digest, 63(7):18-24. [ Links ]]]>
Strand S 2003. Sex differences in cognitive abilities test scores: A national picture. Paper presented at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Edinburgh, 11-13 September. [ Links ]
Sweetnam KR 2002. Test taking strategies and student achievement. Cloquet, Minnesota: Running Head. [ Links ]
Vattanapath R & Jaiprayoon K 1999. An assessment of the effectiveness of teaching test-taking strategies for multiple-choice English reading comprehension tests. Occasional Papers, 8:57-71. [ Links ]
Wang ZE 2008. Academic motivation, mathematics achievement, and the school context: Building achievement model using TIMSS 2003. PhD thesis. USA: University of Missouri. Available at https://mospace.umsystem.edu^xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/5520/research.pdf?sequence=3. Accessed 24 June 2013. [ Links ]
Wigfield A & Meece Jl 1988. Math anxiety in elementary and secondary school students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 80(2):210-216. [ Links ]]]>
Wilson VL 1983. A meta-analysis of the relationship between science achievement and science attitude: Kindergarten through college. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20(9):839-850. doi: 10.1002/tea.3660200906 [ Links ]
Zan R & Di Martino P 2007. Attitudes towards mathematics: Overcoming the positive/negative dichotomy. The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast Monograph, 3:157-168. Available at http://www.math.umt.edu/tmme/monograph3/Zan_Monograph3_pp.157_168.pdf. Accessed 1 April 2014. [ Links ]]]>


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Yesterday we discussed at what age it's appropriate to allow your children to watch darker science fiction classics. And once your kids get over their fear of Spock's eyebrows, you can chart their height on this nifty poster.
Notes chart creator Geeky Dad:
My daughter is turning one soon, and I decided we needed a growth chart as awesome as she is. After a bit of tinkering in Pages, and a bunch of hemming and hawing, this is the result. As a friend pointed out, all that's missing is Batman.
You can find the full 7' PDF here.
[Spotted on Metafilter]
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subset: commoncrawl


text: iKeepSafe certifies technology used by children and in educational settings with qualified experts. We help vendors meet the complicated and demanding standards of compliance required by federal and state laws, so they can sell their technology with full confidence and protection. iKeepSafe is driven to improve transparency around student data privacy.


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Yanks pitcher Pineda ejected for substance on neck
BOSTON (AP) — Less than two weeks after pitching against Boston with what appeared to be pine tar on his pitching hand, the New York Yankees' Michael Pineda was ejected from a game against the Red Sox on Wednesday night after umpires found a foreign substance on his neck.
Boston manager John Farrell didn't alert umpires about brown goo on the lower part of Pineda's right palm during a 4-1 win over Boston at Yankee Stadium on April 10. Photos of Pineda's pitching hand that night sparked a debate about pitchers' use of sticky substances to get a better grips in cool weather.
With two outs and a 1-2 count on Grady Sizemore on Wednesday, Farrell left his dugout to talk with plate umpire Gerry Davis, who went to the mound. Davis touched the right side of the pitcher's neck with his index finger then ejected Pineda as other umpires and Yankee infielders stood nearby.
On a night with a game time temperature of 50 degrees, Farrell had said before batting practice: "I would expect if it's used, it's more discreet than last time."
Pineda left with the Yankees trailing 2-0 after he allowed two runs and four hits in the first inning. He was replaced by David Phelps.
Rule 8.02(b) says a pitcher shall not "have on his person, or in his possession, any foreign substance. For such infraction of this section the penalty shall be immediate ejection from the game. In addition, the pitcher shall be suspended automatically."
"We will talk to the umpires tomorrow and review their report before taking any action," Major League Baseball spokesman Michael Teevan said.
In recent suspensions of pitchers for pine tar, Tampa Bay's Joel Peralta was penalized eight games in 2012, the Los Angeles Angels' Brendan Donnelly 10 days in 2005 and St. Louis' Julian Tavarez 10 days in 2004. The suspensions of Donnelly and Tavarez were cut to eight days after they asked the players' association to appeal, and Peralta dropped his challenge with no reduction.
In Pineda's previous start against the Red Sox, television cameras caught Pineda with what appeared to be sticky pine tar on his hand on a cool night. Farrell didn't see a photograph of Pineda's hand until the fourth inning; when Pineda came out to warm up for the fifth, his hand was clean.
"In conditions like last night, it's not uncommon for pitchers to try and get a grip in some way," Farrell said later. "We're more focused on what we need to do offensively to kind of get going rather than taking anything away from his abilities."
Joe Torre, MLB's executive vice president of baseball operations, said in a statement April 11 that Pineda would not be suspended for the substance on his hand.
"The umpires did not observe an application of a foreign substance during the game, and the issue was not raised by the Red Sox," Torre said then. "Given those circumstances, there are no plans to issue a suspension, but we intend to talk to the Yankees regarding what occurred."
AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.


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I had the opportunity to attend Adobe MAX last week in Los Angeles, California. It's called the Creativity Conference, and in my opinion, the organizers delivered.
A few of us from the Adobe Globalization team established a presence at the Community Pavilion as we actively sought to engage with our customers and users from around the world. We were successful in that and I will post more information about that in the coming days.
In the meantime, please watch the following intro from Adobe TV, and keep a watch for me at 43 seconds in (I'm on the left, listening intently).


text:
Friday, January 17, 2020 - 5:00 pm - 5:45 pm
Click here to Register! Zoom link provided upon registration.
Also on Romemu's Facebook Live
Infants, toddlers, parents and grandparents are all welcome to join us for this wonderful way to introduce your little ones to Shabbat. Sha'Baby engages your child's special energy through song, prayer, dance, and laughter. Facilitated by Carla Friend of Tkiya.
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U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders opposes most of Donald Trump's views, but is prepared to work with him on "policies that improve the lives of working families" in order to move the country forward.
The former candidate for president, who lost to Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, said in a statement on Trump's election released Wednesday that, "Donald Trump tapped into the anger of a declining middle class that is sick and tired of establishment economics, establishment politics and the establishment media."
He added, "People are tired of working longer hours for lower wages, of seeing decent paying jobs go to China and other low-wage countries, of billionaires not paying any federal income taxes and of not being able to afford a college education for their kids - all while the very rich become much richer."
U.S. & World
While Sanders said progressives will work together with Trump to help struggling Americans, he warned that they will not tolerate bigotry.
"To the degree that Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him. To the degree that he pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-environment policies, we will vigorously oppose him."
Sanders also tweeted Thursday morning, saying, "If Donald Trump takes people's anger and turns it against Muslims, Hispanics, African Americans and women, we will be his worst nightmare."
Sanders said he will support Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota for chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He also not ruling out the possibility of a 2020 run, but said "four years is a long time from now."


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Bishill Surname Ancestry Results
Our indexes 1000-1999 include entries for the spelling 'bishill'. In the period you have requested, we have the following 1 record (displaying 1 to 1):
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bishamton bishan bishara bishard bishart bishaw bishay bishbury bishby bishcope bishe bishegg' bishell bishen bishenden bishenvel bisher bishere bisheshar bishhop biship bishirgian bishko bishley bishnichandra bisho bishob bishobridge bishoff bishol bishon bishoonaut bishop bishop-ackerman bishop-culpeper bishopbridge bishopbrig bishope bishopeham bishopesdone
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AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — The race to create edible, lab-generated meat hit a significant finish line on Monday, when a high-profile launch in London unveilled a 5-oz. test-tube-grown beef burger made from thousands of protein strands.
The cost for Dutch scientists to make the test tube burger came at a neat $325,000 — paid for thanks to Google co-founder Sergey Brin.
So, how does it taste?
Mark Post, the synthetic beef mastermind, has suggested the burger he's grown could be "flame grilled" by Heston Blumenthal, the three-star chef whose application of food science has led to dishes like snail porridge, and bacon and egg ice cream.
Alternatively, Post once told the BBC: "It would be great if someone like Jamie Oliver agreed to cook it for us, and a famous actress ate it."
There is method behind the moves to launch the lab-grown meat with a media mega-splash.
By securing celebrity endorsement, Post hopes to convince the public — and investors — that the in vitro burger is not a gastronomic gimmick but a serious response to ethical, nutritional and environmental challenges on a global scale.
"Current livestock meat production is just not sustainable," Post said in a recent statement.
"Right now, we are using more than 50 per cent of all our agricultural land for livestock. It's simple maths. We have to come up with alternatives. If we don't do anything, meat will become a luxury food and be very, very expensive."
The UN's World Health Organization estimates global demand for meat will double in the next 40 years. With so much farmland already used for meat production, and with cattle consuming 10 percent of the world's fresh water supplies, campaigners say conventional animal raising is unsustainable.
Meat production is also blamed for making a major contribution to global warming, through methane released by flatulent animals, and by the decaying remains of crops needed to feed livestock. A Dutch study has claimed switching to a low meat diet could cut the cost of fighting climate change by $20 trillion up to 2050.
Supporters of the lab-cultured burger say the development of commercially viable in vitro meat production could bring similar savings without anybody having to give up meat. In fact even vegetarians would be able to eat burgers, steaks or chicken breasts grown from stem cells without the need to slaughter animals.
"The meat labs would use only 1 percent of the land and 4 percent of the water associated with conventional meat, and greenhouse gases would be reduced by up to 96 percent in comparison to raising animals," says the website of the Amsterdam-based Next Nature Foundation. "Lab-grown meat should also provide cheap nutrition and help improve animal welfare as millions of people in rapidly emerging economies such as China and India are rising from poverty and become able to afford more meat in their diets."
Several labs around the world are working to develop cultured meat, and the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has offered a $1 million reward for the first commercially viable creator of test-tube chicken meat.
The idea is not new. Winston Churchill in 1932, wrote: "50 years hence, we shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing, by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium."
Post's lab at the University of Maastricht takes muscle stem cells from living cattle through biopsy. The cells are then "exercised" by being stretched between velco anchor points as it tries to contract they grow and reproduce to build up bulk, like a microscopic version of a bicep pumping iron.
After a few weeks they develop into strips of wobbly white matter about an inch long. A year ago, Post invited reporters into the lab to announce that the unappetizing slivers in his Petri dishes would be turned into a tasty burger ready for the grill by the end of 2012.
That did not happen. Although a burger was grown, Post was reportedly unsatisfied with the texture and taste. An improved version is now expected to be unveiled at the London launch, possibly in April.
However tasty the patty, proponents of cultured-beef will still face two major challenges: turning the science into a viable commercial operation, and persuading people to eat the stuff.
Dr. Koert van Mensvoort runs the Next Nature Foundation and heads a team at the Eindhoven University of Technology which is working with Post to examine how the lab meat could be used as a food of the future.
Although some have denounced the in vitro meat as artificial "franken-foods," van Mensvoort says there is little alternative in the long term — unless we want diets dominated by beans and bugs.
"People say they don't want in vitro meat because its artificial. Then they walk into a supermarket and buy square cubes of chicken," he told GlobalPost.
"The way we produce meat today is unsustainable. There are basically three options for the future: one is that we will all be vegetarians, eating rice and beans; another option is people start to eat other protein sources, like insects; the third option is in vitro meat grown without having to kill an animal."
The first burger will have cost an estimated $300,000 to produce, but Post is confident that after he has proved the technique works, it could be adapted for mass production in the next 20 years.
By removing animal death and suffering from the food production process and eventually providing healthy, tasty and sustainable meat, supporters of the idea say consumers will warm to the idea.
Dr. Kurt Schmidinger, an Austrian food scientist who promotes in vitro meat through the website futurefood.org says investors in lab-grown meat could tap into the $250 billion world meat market.
"Cultured meat could capture a vast future market," says the site. "It has so many advantages, you probably cannot stop it. There are ethical, health, environmental advantages. We cannot go on the way we are, one-third of the global harvest of cereals and soy is converted into excrement. It's an illusion to think we can go on like this.


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The Arctic includes an ocean covered by sea ice.
The area of Arctic sea ice is largest in March each year, and at its lowest each September.
It is reducing over time - the graphs come from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center.
The NSIDC also publish this graph, which is normally updated every day.
More graphs and other data are also available from the Arctic Data Archive System, operated by the Japanese Arctic Environmental Observation Center.
The total volume of Arctic sea ice has declined dramatically over time.
New research shows the decline in Arctic sea ice area since 1850:
Research suggests the remarkable decline of Arctic sea ice over the last century is far beyond anything seen for a long time.


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Most Feng Shui experts will tell you that a Cicada is a Feng Shui symbol of immortality and protection against backstabbers. This is largely due to the fact that a Cicada is an insect that can live up to 20 years; it's a kind of insect that has the longest life span. Furthermore, it is said that a Cicada's large eyes also warns it of possible predators, thus many Feng Shui experts will associate it as a protection against backstabbers or politicking.
I would like to humbly present a different perspective. For me, as influenced by some of my Feng Shui teachers, a Cicada is not a protection against back stabbers and/or politicking. However, while I do agree that it can be used as a Feng Shui tool for longevity or immortality, it is primary a symbol of good rebirth.
In my belief, a Cicada is best used as a symbol of good rebirth, this is limiting in the sense that people who will follow this are people who believes in reincarnation. The Cicada is considered as a summer insect in Japan and China, because they usually go under the soil during winter, and go out of it during summer. This is a sign of rebirth, thus it was usually used a symbol of rebirth in Japan and China. I don't really know why modern Feng Shui experts focused more on the immortality or longevity aspect of the Cicada. In fact, in China the family of a deceased person usually put a jade Cicada of the dead person before burying or burning the body of the person. This is to have the person have a good rebirth.
According to my Feng Shui teachers, a Cicada should be placed beside the bed of a dying person, this is to signify a good rebirth even before the soul leaves the current body. Also, you can still follow the old tradition of putting a small jade cicada of a deceased person before burying or cremating the body. If you feel queasy about this you can just put the Jade Cicada on top of the body of the deceased.
But, is the Cicada also a symbol of longevity? The answer is yes, but I don't think that it is it's primary use.
Also because of the 'rebirth' aspect of the Cicada, it makes carrying a jade cicada a good Feng Shui protector when one is undergoing a big change in one's life. If you are about to have a career change, or you're about to marry, or moving to a new house, graduating from school, migrating to a new place or country, carrying or wearing a jade cicada will help ensure that everything goes smoothly.
Another use for the cicada usually recommended by Feng Shui experts is as a cure for backstabbing and/or politicking. Again, while the cicada is a good symbol for protection against luck, I think this is not really just against backstabbing and/or politicking.
Let me explain. The cicadas would usually warn of a farmer of a pending bad storm, this is because they 'cry out' by making a distinct noise when a bad storm is coming, even if the storm is still 2 days away. They're nature's natural weather forecaster, so in effect, they give us a warning when there's a danger. As such, wearing a Cicada we will be given a 'signal' or we'll become more sensitive when a bad thing is about to happen.


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I KNOW I promised this story a while back, and though I got a very small response from people interested in hearing the story, who am I to withhold my best story from those that ARE interested just because I didn't get a lot of comments. Maybe I'll get lots of comments AFTER I post it! :)
I was 17 when I finally got my drivers license. Due to my wonderful older sisters and their horrible driving records my mother made it quite clear to me that if I so much as get a SINGLE ticket she would take my license away until I moved out. Needless to say I was a pretty careful driver. SO there was this bridge that connected my hometown to a slightly bigger city, and on either side of the bridge was well, NOTHING. The teeny tiny airport was off on one side but otherwise there was absolutely nothing but a small stream and lots of over grown plants and fields... The speed limit was 45 across the bridge. Most drivers went around 60. It was January 1st, and I had been out running errands for my mom. I had my two younger brothers in one of the back seats of my moms 12 SEATER VAN (We called her Vanna White- as in Van of White...). SO here I am, 5'4" about 95 pounds behind the wheel of a HUGE white van that was probably hanging pretty close to the ground seeing as how I was carrying a load of fire wood in the back. We had removed all but one seat to fit all the wood in. Talk about a kickin' new year, huh? Hauling wood and little brothers all over town. YAY. Well, I hit this bridge going well under the expected 60, but over the posted 45. And though I was not the fastest moving vehicle on the road, I WAS the one that the cop pulled over. When he stopped me he asked me if I knew why I was pulled over. I prolly should have said, No. But I didn't. I said, "I was speeding?" He said, "Yeah. You were going 52 in a 45." And of course in my head I am like, "WHAT? You pulled me over for 7 MPH!? Are ya kidding?!" Then he says, "BUT- thats not really why I pulled you over. Your tags are expired."
"Really, when did they expire?" I ask.
(In my head, "WHAT!? YESTERDAY?!")
"Oh." I respond.
"License and registration please."
So of course I pull out my license. But for the life of me I can't find any proof that I am insured. I had only had my license for a few weeks, and though I did show proof of my MOM'S insurance, OBVIOUSLY that wasn't enough. So the jerk wrote me three tickets.
1) Speeding (7 MPH over the limit)
2) Expired Tags (BY A DAY!)
3) No (proof of) insurance
I head on my way home, and am trying REALLY HARD not to cry. I just KNOW mom is gonna take my license away. Sure enough, when I got home I grabbed my mail on the way in and what do I find in the box? The new tags and proof that I am insured! This was just too much for me. I break down crying to my mom and tell her my sad story. She just laughed. OF course it wasn't my fault that the tags and insurance weren't updated yet, so she let me keep my license. Even though I did get the speeding ticket, she figured spending ALL DAY in traffic school was punishment enough. UGH! Hope that cop met his quota for January!
Joe and I were married in December of 2000. I was still 19 (for a couple months). When we got back from our honeymoon I went and got a new license with my married name. I had moved from my home state of California to here about 6 months before, but had held off getting a new license cause I knew I was getting married and figured I would wait for that. So thats what I did! I got my license (in UT back in the day, they printed the license up, right on the spot) complete with awful picture and new name. Well, a month or so later Joe and I went to State Farm to get car insurance on our "new" vehicle (Joe's dad gave us one of his cars). While I was at work Joe went to set up the insurance. The State Farm office happened to be located across the street from my work. So, Joe shows up at work, and says. "Um, we can't get insurance yet."
"Why?" I ask.
"Um, because there is a warrant out for your arrest..."
"WHAT?! Why? What for?!"
"They wouldn't say- they just said to call DMV."
So I did! Turns out that when I got my new license they didn't charge me enough for it, and they had sent me the remaining bill in the mail. I never got it. Seems our apartment complex FREQUENTLY doesn't get mail from DMV. When I didn't pay up in time, they put a warrant out for me. Yeah- so I cleared it up and paid over the phone. When I asked how much I owed, they answered, "5 dollars."
About a week later I got a big bundle of mail from back home in CA. When I moved out of my moms house, she started collecting my mail for me and would occasionally put it all in a big envelope and mail it off to me in UT. This was one of those times. I started riffling through all the junk mail when I came across a very official piece of mail that most people DREAD. It was a jury summons. UCK! Luckily, here I was in UT and had a great excuse for not going to jury duty! So I opened it up and thats when I noticed that the summons was 3 MONTHS OLD! I was like, "Awww, CRAP!" So I get on the phone and call the courthouse back in my hometown. I explained that I had moved to UT around 7 months earlier and had just gotten my forwarded mail. The lady I talked to kinda laughed and said, "Its a good thing you called! I'll clear up the warrant for your arrest!"
Poor Joe had no idea he was marrying a wanted woman! :)
(A picture of me about a year after the tickets, but about a year before I got the warrants)
Monday, June 30, 2008
My Bad Girl Days...
I KNOW I promised this story a while back, and though I got a very small response from people interested in hearing the story, who am I to withhold my best story from those that ARE interested just because I didn't get a lot of comments. Maybe I'll get lots of comments AFTER I post it! :)
Posted by Pam at 9:00 AM 5 comments
Sunday, June 29, 2008
It's been a while!
Boy how the summer flies by! This last month has been pretty busy for us. I haven't been to church in almost a month, and sadly, today will be no different. Fathers Day was great... I got Joe the game Acquire (its a favorite of his- one of the few he is even kind of interested in owning... he LOVED it!) and a tie with the girls pictures on it. It was so easy to make! I used THIS WEBSITE and just uploaded the pictures I wanted on the tie and VIOLA! Joe loves his tie! I missed church that day cause Lil had thrown up once the night before. Now she does this randomly every now and then... WE are thinking its a food reaction or allergy, but have yet to figure out what is causing it. Anyway- since church is at 9 in the morning, I didn't feel comfortable taking her to church until I KNEW whether she was REALLY sick and throwing up constantly or if it was another isolated incident where she empties her belly and then is fine. Turns out it was the latter. She was totally fine after she threw up. No fever, no yucky tummy ache, nothing. So we decided to go up and visit Grandpa (Joe's Dad) and wish him a Happy Fathers Day. Well, Joe and I really paid the price for that decision. All of his family had gotten together at his Dad's house, and everyone brought desserts to share. And, ANYONE who touched the peach pie got FOOD POISONING two days later! Joe had a full slice, I took a single bite of his pie... And sure enough, we both found ourselves wishing for a quick and painless death come Tuesday.
Now- to add to this, we were supposed to be leaving for vacation Wednesday! Not the best timing for food poisoning to rear its ugly head... We decided that if we felt well enough to NOT throw up or stop at every bathroom along the way we would still make the long drive to CA the next morning. Also, in case it was the flu (which I was CONVINCED it wasn't- ya never forget what food poisoning feels like) we wouldn't leave if either of the girls got sick. Well- Wednesday morning rolls around, and neither of us are interested in ever eating again, but we were holding down crackers and Gatorade just fine. SO- off to California we went! The good thing about traveling with food poisoning is that we saved a TON of money by NOT eating fast food! We packed food for the girls to eat, but neither of us were remotely interested in eating greasy hamburgers. I INSISTED that we stop at Jack In The Box around dinner time (Utah doesn't have Jack In The Box- so very sad!!!), but instead of my usual Sourdough Jack, I got a side salad :S It took us another 3 days before our appetites finally returned. But- at least we weren't nauseated anymore!
We had a ton of fun in CA. We took Lil to San Francisco (I guess we took Lacey too0 but she won't remember it...) She got to see some seals off the piers. She had a waffle cone of strawberry ice cream from Pier 39. We then headed up to Family Reunion to camp on the Russian River near Monte Rio. It was nice weather, and the camp ground was very well shaded. The girls did well in a tent, though Lacey was running a fever every night we were up there. She would be fine during the day, but for whatever reason, she would run a fever while she slept. :S Unfortunately there wasn't a whole lot we could do about it. We gave her Baby Motrin (which I always have on hand) but its not like I could just head on home, seeing as how HOME was 15 hours away... My kids are the queens of one symptom illnesses! She wasn't acting sick, she wasn't even fussy- just feverish at night...
(That first picture was a picture of my family at Reunion back when I was Lacey's age...)
Of course I took my camera on this trip, but didn't take ANY pictures. DOPE! Well, I did take a couple pictures of Lil in San Francisco. I just haven't gotten them out of the camera yet... Lil got to play in the ocean, she got to play in a river full of otters. She got REALLY REALLY dirty playing with my cousins kids... I wish I HAD taken a picture of her covered in dirt that first day- it was impressive! She looked like a raccoon! She had a blast, and was pretty well behaved for the drive too! (Thank goodness for portable DVD players!)
(And THIS second one is my family at Reunion when I was roughly Lil's age...)
Once we got home from the trip things got back to normal fairly quick. Last week I went swimming at my cousins with my two girls. And I learned an unbelievably scary lesson. The inner tubes with a seat sewn in are not necessarily safe. In fact they CAN be more dangerous than not having a floating device at all! Lil flipped over in her inner tube and got stuck under the water. I had Lacey in my arms, so I couldn't get to her very quickly. Luckily Julie managed to get to her and flip her back over. Lil was somewhat traumatized by the whole ordeal. As was I. I know its important for her to go back to the pool. I don't want her to be petrified of water, but at the same time I don't want to take her back! It really had me freaked out. I also know its important for her to talk it out, which I do encourage her to do, but its hard for me to listen to it knowing that me being inattentive for such a short period of time could have killed her! I assumed the inner tube would keep her safe, OBVIOUSLY I was VERY wrong. And I will say this, that inner tube is no longer in existence in this house! I am just very grateful that she is okay. Since the incident, she has mentioned time and again how Julie saved her (thank goodness!) and how Julie is her best friend (mine too!). She is such a great kid, and I am so thankful that I still have her here with me.
So I sit here writing this while missing yet another week of church. :( I currently have sinus issues, a cold, AND possibly pink eye. My eyes don't itch but they are awfully pink and I woke up this morning unable to open them. Yuck. I miss church :(
All in all, this month has been pretty eventful, and next month is shaping up to be pretty busy as well! Including a recipe exchange at my house on Wednesday night... Here's to a busy summer!
(You know- looking back at this post, it seems we have had a decent amount of illness this last month. Here is to hoping for a healthy remainder of the summer!)
Posted by Pam at 7:36 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Sun SHMUN!
I have been spending more and more time out in the sun this last few weeks. As the weather has FINALLY warmed up, I have spent a great deal more time outside with my girls. It has been VERY nice to get out of the house. BUT- I have noticed that every time I spend a significant amount of time outside (meaning, more than the time it takes to grab the newspaper and mail) I end up with hives!
I am totally at a loss as to WHY I am covered in hives, but after talking to my mother I have come to some conclusions... It seems my father was photosensitive when he was about my age. Just all of a sudden, he would break out in hives every time he spent too much time out in the sun! The only real difference between my hives and his are that his would go away in a couple hours, and mine don't seem to be leaving. SO- either I recently have become allergic to the sun OR there is something blowing around in the air that I am allergic to. :S Oh JOY! This is gonna be a L-O-N-G Summer if I don't get these hives under control!
Posted by Pam at 5:08 PM 4 comments
When I grow up...
So what do you do when your child gives up before she even sets a goal? Lilia was watching a show on TV when a commercial came on and asked the viewers what they wanted to be when they grew up! So I posed the question to her again, "Lil! What do you want to be when you grow up?" Her response?
"Hmmm, when I grow up? Well, I wanna be... Um, when I grow up I want to be... Mom, I just want to grow up."
I eventually got her to tell me she wants to be a police man and a daddy when she grows up. SO the question is, which is worse? Not having a plan, or planning on a sex change?
Posted by Pam at 1:49 PM 4 comments
Friday, June 6, 2008
Fathers Day ideas?
So Fathers Day is approaching. Has anyone ever noticed that our poor husbands and fathers get nowhere NEAR the attention that us moms get? Its kinda not really fair! I mean, Joe is awesome! Much more so than I am! He deserves all kinds of attention! Did you know that Mothers Day is a flag holiday? (They suggest you fly your flags on certain holidays, and though Mothers Day is on that list, Fathers Day ISN'T!!)
Anyway- I am looking to get him an AWESOME Fathers Day gift, but am short on ideas. I already have half a gift for him. Its something I know he has been wanting, but it has been out of print for the last few years. I caught wind that it was becoming available next Saturday so I pre-ordered it and will be getting it here in about a week! BUT- the problem is that what I got him (which will no doubt make his day) cost me a grand total of about 30 bucks. His gift to me was totally amazing, and worth so much more than his gift is costing me. I want to do MORE for him, but don't know what I want... So my plea is that you may be able to help! Any suggestions for good, thoughtful, gifts for guys?
(OH, and the reason for not telling what the gift is on here is that Joe IS aware of this blog, and though he has NEVER checked it out YET, it would be just my luck that he would check it and see this blog before Fathers Day. I will let ya'll know what I bought him AFTER he has gotten it.)
What say you? Any suggestions?
Posted by Pam at 8:56 AM 3 comments
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Have you ever noticed that most people don't blog about being in a funk? I mean, unless they can put some sort of comical or positive spin on it, or have a point to make (like the post about being a mom) you don't read blogs about people who just aren't having the best of days...
Well that has been me as of late. My baby has been sick, and quite honestly, I am thinking I am dealing more with depression again. Ugh! Never a whole lot of fun where that is concerned. I am finding things bothering me and hurting my feelings easier than they used to. Then again, I have had a fall out with a certain old friend of mine, so maybe that has something to do with it all. All I know is that I am not feeling all that good lately, thus I haven't been doing my normal blogging. Sorry to keep all you loyal readers (all 3 of you!!) in the dark with whats up with me!
So yesterday we went swimming at my best friend and cousin's house. I didn't bring my camera, but she got a few good pictures of Lacey... she even blogged them. Go check it out HERE.
Lil has been a good girl lately. She has been so patient with not being able to go play at the park. It has been hard to tell her she can't go play because her sister was sick, but she took it well and stayed home without too much complaint. The good news is that Lacey is finally over her illness, and so we can spend more time outside again.
Lacey is growing up so fast. I miss the little baby, though I don't miss the separation anxiety! She seems to be outgrowing the need to be with mom constantly. Sunday, when given the choice between coming to me and going to Grandma, she chose Grandma to the sheer amazement of both me AND my mother!
Joe and I are doing well adjusting to his new job. He works pretty awesome hours, and he likes the job and the people. We are in the process of making a lot of changes in our finances... we may be refinancing our house, and we are cutting back on luxuries that we don't really need. We both feel this urgent need to be saving more money and getting our retirement in order. Its nice to finally be in a position where we can focus on it.
Hope everything is good with you all. I LOVE Google Reader! It makes keeping up on all your blogs so much easier! If you don't have it yet, go check it out!
Posted by Pam at 8:23 AM 3 comments


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BRADFORD, Pa. – A new major at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will allow students returning to college and transfer students to make the most of their credits toward a bachelor's degree.
The university is offering a degree in general studies beginning this term. The major offers students the ability to use more credits from a wide variety of subject areas toward one degree.
Although it is not as narrowly focused as a single-discipline major, the general studies major will require 72 to 73 credits of the 120 credits required for graduation to be distributed over three areas of studies. Students will have to design their academic plan to include courses from three of five areas, which are arts and letters; behavioral, economic and political science; history, cultures and philosophical inquiry; physical, life and computational sciences; and professional studies.
The remainder of the credits can be made up in elective courses, which allows students to get the most use out of any credits they have previously taken at Pitt-Bradford, another college or university, in the military or through a professional program.
Students will choose a minor, participate in an internship or service learning project and complete a senior capstone course, just as students in other majors do.
Dr. Stephen Robar, associate dean of academic affairs and associate professor of political science, said that the registrar's office and academic advisors have been seeing students entering the university with a broad smattering of credits that did not fit well into any one major. For those students, credits that had already been earned could not be used toward their requirements for a Pitt degree, but now they can be.
The professional provision, Robar said, should be particularly helpful for students who are currently employed and whose jobs now require them to earn a bachelor's degree. For example, a worker who is an accountant can earn accounting credits for past work experience by providing an approved work experience portfolio, saving time and money toward the completion of a degree.
Robar will review and approve each academic plan, which will be overseen by Mary Coller, director of the academic advising center.
Students can also use the major to craft a course of study for a self-directed major.
For more information on the general studies major at Pitt-Bradford, contact Coller at (814)362-7645 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Posted by Solomon's words for the wise at 1/18/2013 03:31:00 PM


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SXSW 2014: Edu, Music, and Pi Day
Mar 17 2014
This is the first time in several years that I did not attend any SXSW interactive events…not a single one. I don't feel that I missed out on anything other than not seeing some folks in person who I usually "see" online. Instead I attended SXSWedu and finagled a wristband for SXSW music, and I had a great time.
I was at SXSWedu for my company and it felt to me like the early days of SXSW interactive. There is so much going on in the world of ed tech. I learned a lot and we all met some great potential partners. A friend invited me to go with her to SXSW music, and I heard some really great bands including Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, Suzanne Vega, David & Olivia, Boy & Bear, and I even got to watch a hip hop contest. I saw a few performances by amateurs who made me feel better about my two songs that I'm about to release via DistroKid (after I get an album cover created & designed). I will do a blog post soon linking to the places where you can find my songs.
My kids are helping me create a YouTube video of images. We are going to draft up a contract so they get some experience with a business negotiations (i.e., mom decides what they get paid), they get experience creating something and putting it on YouTube, and I get
a good deal a beautiful video created by my kids.
Well, I don't have anything else I want to write, so I'm leaving you with some photos and images of Pi Day that happened on 3/14/14. One is a photo in downtown Austin at SXSW where planes where creating Pi in the Sky and the other was an image that showed up somewhere in one of my email accounts.
Author: Aruni | Filed under: entrepreneurship | Tags: bruce robison, kelly willis, pi day, pi in the sky, suzanne vega, sxsw, sxsw edu, sxsw interactive, sxsw music, youtube | 1 Comment »


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Monday, October 7, 2019
- All Day
- Student break (no classes)
- Details:
- Specific Location:
- General Location: Central Carolina Community College
- Audience: All
Facilities are closed to the public. Most in-person courses have moved online. See details, student resources, and find regular updates on the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Information & CCCC's Response website.
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Chametz-Free NYC, Day 1: Eating Well in New York During Passover
For 356 days of the year I'm a pretty lax Jew. The pork-and-cheeseburger kind. The "damn it, I missed Purim again!" kind. Sometimes I wonder if I call myself Jewish just so I can keep dropping Yiddish turns of phrase.
But come Yom Kippur I fast. And during Passover it's matzo all the way. For a food-loving Jew, especially one committed to his carbs the way his parents taught him, keeping kosher for Passover is a commitment that's hard to ignore, and a challenge I've come to look forward to.
Working at Serious Eats has made that commitment...interesting, what with the daily sandwiches and cookies and [wheaty] soy sauce-laden Chinese food all around our office. But I suspect I'm not alone in feeling at a loss sometimes for how to eat well and chametz-free in New York.
So for the next eight days I'll be doing quick dispatches on eating out during Passover without shaming your ancestors. Because this is New York, and citywide pizza and bagel fixations notwithstanding, there's no reason to not eat well here while keeping kosher for Passover. Why start today? To give you some time to get your dining plans in order.
The Ground Rules
To keep things interesting I'm going to use a pretty strict definition of kosher for Passover. That means no chametz whatsoever: no grains or foods with grains in them (hence no soy sauce). And since I hail from people in frozen Polish villages who thought that banishing all grains for a week wasn't hard enough, I'll be keeping clear of kitniyot, too: no corn, rice, or legumes.
What this doesn't mean: I'm not keeping kosher. You'll see plenty of pork and cheeseburger mentions over the next few days. And I'm not requiring a restaurant to say it's doing kosher for Passover cooking. If a speck of flour from a nearby pan falls into my soup, I'll live.
But most importantly: I want to be fed well. I only want to eat matzo because I feel like eating matzo, not because there's nothing else to eat. So with that out of the way, let's get started.
Day One: Veggie Up
This may be an obvious beginning, but when I can't eat bread, corn, beans, or rice, I hit vegetables hard and fast. I'm talking about velvety, meaty eggplant and rich braised greens. I mean going to restaurants that treat vegetables like meat, places where you can dig into something substantial without giving bread a second thought. You want hearty vegetables, not just salads or a tangle of greens.
That's how I feel about, say, the carrot, beet, and eggplant salads at Taim, or the Turkish eggplant, artichokes, and leeks at Sip Sak. Or the very vegetarian-friendly spread at Bedouin Tent.
Passover gives me good excuse to belly up to the bar at Otto for some of their $5 vegetable sides. Three of them—always the rabe plus whatever looks good—and a glass of wine is enough for me to call dinner. The same goes for more cozy Italian spots like Va Beh' or more upscale spots like L'Apicio. When you have good contorni you don't need much else.
So come Day One of Passover I'll be eating my fair share of eggplant with yogurt sauce. Now how about you? Where do you go for veggies so good you don't need the bread?
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Guest poem submitted by Ben Morrison, whose birthday it is today. Happy Birthday, Ben!
(Poem #999) Casabianca
Love's the boy stood on the burning deck trying to recite "The boy stood on the burning deck". Love's the son stood stammering elocution while the poor ship in flames went down. Love's the obstinate boy, the ship, even the swimming sailors, who would like a schoolroom platform, too or an excuse to stay on deck. And love's the burning boy.
This Bishop poem isn't one that typically makes it in the anthologies, but it is perhaps my favorite, and since it is love poetry week, it's entirely fitting. It's so simple: four sentences all with the same noun/verb contraction--"love's". The image of "burning" love is a cliché, but the build from the poor boy trying to talk to the ship and all the other sailors and then back to the burning boy is what makes this poem work. The lens widens from the poor boy to everything else and then, finally, back to the boy. This is the enviable boy who gets to stay on deck and burn. It's not pretty. It's sacrificial. It's about being powerless, not being able to say ("trying to recite") what you are and where you are. It's not pastoral. If you actually imagine someone burning, it's downright horrifying, but I guess that's the point. Even when reading it, the reader envies the boy and wishes that he/she too was on the deck and burning. Ben. [Minstrels Links] Elizabeth Bishop: Poem #639, One Art Poem #734, In the Waiting Room Love poetry, the week so far: Poem #997, The Passionate Shepherd to His Love -- Christopher Marlowe Poem #998, A Blade of Grass -- Brian Patten Poem #999, Casabianca -- Elizabeth Bishop


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