Forty-Fifth Annual Report of the Agricultural Experiment Station of Nebraska, February 1, 1932

This report covers the investigations, expenditures, and publications of the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station for the fiscal year June 30, 1931. During the year 68 projects have been under investigation at the main station. These have covered a wide range of subjects. At the various substations the work is planned to meet the needs of the different regions. The funds for carrying on the work of the stations are derived from federal and state sources. The work is carried on in definite projects according to the supporting fund. Satisfactory progress was made on the research program. During the year eight projects were completed and seven new ones added. The selection of new projects is on the basis of most urgent need, together with the ability of the Experiment Station to carry the project. The financial depression in which agriculture still finds itself has increased rather than decreased the demand upon the Experiment Station and the College for new and definite information. This demand has been taken care of insofar as possible. During the year covered by this report eleven bulletins, nine research bulletins, and one circular have been published by the Experiment Station. In addition 22 technical papers have been prepared by members of the staff and printed in various technical and professional journals.

Attitudes, Confidence, and Achievement of High-Ability Fifth Grade Math Students

In this action research study of my fifth grade high-ability mathematics class, I investigated student attitudes of mathematics and their confidence in mathematics. Student achievement was compared to two different confidence scales to identify a relationship between confidence and achievement. Six boys and eleven girls gave their consent to the study. I discovered there seems to be a connection between confidence and achievement and that boys are generally more confident than girls. Most students liked math and were comfortable sharing answers and methods of solving problems with other students. As a result of this study I plan to use my survey and interview questions at the beginning of the school year with my new class in order to assess their attitudes and confidence in math. I can use this information to identify potential struggles and better plan for student instruction.

Building Math Esteem in Fifth Grade Students

In this action research study of my classroom of 5th grade mathematics, I investigate the levels of math esteem in each student and as a classroom. The definition of esteem on which I am basing my research is the judgment or estimation of the self-assurance of a student in math. I discovered that several of the students entered my classroom with a middle to low level of esteem in math, and about a third of the class already exhibited a positive, high esteem in math. After implementation of the research, and interpreting the data, I believe almost all the students achieved higher math esteem by the end of the school year. The surveys and interviews I performed with the parents and students lead me to believe the four components of my research had an affect on this outcome. As a result of this research, I plan to continue to facilitate a high level of math esteem in each one of my students.

Conference Participants, Fifth Vertebrate Pest Conference (1972)

The Fifth Vertebrate Pest Conference drew a registered attendance of 239 with an estimated additional 50-75 persons who attended portions of the conference but did not register. As in past conferences, the attendance was made up of individuals having varying interests in vertebrate pest problems from twenty two states plus the District of Columbia. Participants from Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, India and New Zealand contributed greatly to the success of the conference and provided further exchange of information on an international level.