Collaborating for adaptation : findings and outcomes of a research initiative across Africa and Asia

Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA) is dedicated to building the resilience of vulnerable people and their livelihoods in three types of climate change hotspots in Africa and Asia: deltas, semi-arid lands, and glacier- and snowpack-dependent river basins. This beautiful and detailed report provides results of the CARIAA initiatives’ impact on knowledge, capacity, policy and planning. CARIAA made significant contributions in five key areas to enhance the resilience of people living in climate hotspots. These are elaborated upon in the report along with links to related information. Participants from all consortia were gathered at CARIAA’s third annual learning review in Nepal.UK’s Department for International Developmen

Creating Tomorrow’s Leaders: Examining Teacher Perceptions of a Systems Approach Framework to Continuous Classroom Improvement

The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of teachers using a systems approach in two rural schools in a district in North Carolina using a qualitative approach. In this district, a systems approach is also referred to as Continuous Classroom Improvement (CCI). The theoretical framework within which the study was grounded revolved around three constructs. The first construct was school culture; the second construct was the concept of Total Quality Management (TQM); and the third construct was the use of Plan, Do, Study, Act. Information was collected in a natural setting. The qualitative data gathered from the interviews were utilized to find the themes and patterns that were used to describe the perceptions of teachers. The findings were represented and organized by each research question to answer the overarching purpose which emerged under each research question. The perception of teachers indicated that instructional strategies, reflections, student ownership, and growth played a huge part in setting learning goals in the systems approach. Resulting from an in-depth analysis of the data, the implications for practice include the continual professional development of teachers in the systems approach to enhance the sustainability of CCI. To avoid compromising the fidelity of implementation of a system approach, continuous coaching and feedback are needed in order to support principals and teachers. School districts benefit from CCI because it supports the ongoing and sustained professional development of teachers for improvement and helps ensure success for students and schools

The Induction Process of Newly Hired Teachers into the Existing School Culture of Niles Community Schools

Problem Schools, like other organizations, provide capital resources and experiences that promote the professional development of their employees. Professional learning and skill development are essential for educators as they work to improve student achievement. However, conventional professional development often fails to provide a collaborative social construction of knowledge that supports educators in transforming their schools into a strong culture of shared learning. This is especially evident when induction programs do not provide collaborative environments for new teachers to work with each other and other experienced teachers. This study explored the induction of newly hired personnel within a district located in the southwest corner of Michigan. The purpose was to describe the existing school culture that newly hired teachers experienced and to understand the processes, structures and strategies used through the induction experience to create and nurture a collaboratively engaged learning community. Conceptual Frame Concepts from scholarship on social interdependence, cooperative learning, and collaborative professional development guide this study. Kurt Koffka argued in his theory of social interdependence that a dynamic quality in groups was the development of an interdependence that influenced roles, learning and action and created positive interaction, individual accountability, appropriate use of social skills, and group processing for learning. Practice and research on cooperative learning grew out of this work. Cooperative learning occurs when individuals work collectively to achieve group goals. While formal cooperative learning requires an instructor to make pre-instructional decisions, explain tasks and cooperative structure, monitor learning, and intervene to provide assistance, informal processes can also involve these characteristics of learning in a group. Critical Friend Groups (CFGs) were developed as a professional learning modality that builds on cooperative learning literature. These groups are developed around norms, routines, and shared vision with a foundation of learning through social means. CFGs are focused on regular and intentional use of protocols developing the behaviors of collaboration and reflection as well as a focus on teaching and learning managed by skilled facilitation. Methods This study explored Niles Community Schools’ (NCS) culture and the induction of newly hired teachers using a mixed-method approach. I surveyed all teachers within NCS and interviewed 19 induction participants. The School Culture Triage Survey (SCTS) is a three-factor, 17-item survey about a school’s culture. The factors focus on professional collaboration, affiliative collegiality, and self-determination/efficacy. The survey is designed to assess the general health of a school and/or district. Analysis of this survey allowed me to describe the existing school and district culture by descriptive statistics with further analysis of significant differences. Qualitative data were collected from teachers through focus-group interviews, written reflections, observations, and meeting agendas in order to describe, analyze, and interpret patterns of behavior, beliefs, and culture. The data was used to describe the learning culture, identify structures, and recognize individuals who contributed to the success of the newly hired teachers within Niles Community Schools. Results Seventy-six teachers’ responses to the survey were analyzed, and 19 participated in focus groups. The highest mean on the survey came from the item asking how often they met to discuss instructional strategies and curriculum issues. The lowest mean came from the item asking if they visit/talk with each other outside of the school. This and other data suggest that social interaction between respondents was primarily work related. Mentors in an induction CFG gave an overall rating that indicated the culture in buildings and the district needs modifications and improvements. Newly hired teacher participants in the CFG induction program had an overall rating that indicated the culture in the buildings and the district should be monitored and maintained, making positive adjustments. New teacher participants scored significantly higher than did mentors and teachers not participating in the induction program on two indicators: Staff is empowered to make instructional decisions rather than wait for supervisors to tell them what to do, and People work here because they enjoy and choose to be here. Data and focus group responses indicate participants recognized a need and had a desire to learn from each other. Both participants and mentors reported developing confidence in their ability and skills to lead while in the program. They found the work beneficial and could identify specific skills associated with collaboration and felt more attuned with their colleagues. There was value in reflection, connecting learning as well as providing feedback for future learning. Induction participants recognized that no matter how many years of experience they brought to the district, teachers still could learn or provide insight for others to learn. Structures that made learning and cultural development effective included meetings designed with clear norms, goals, protocols, team building, and a review of prior learning, and reflection. Support and training to equip district coaches (principals) on aligning district goals and objectives to help individuals and groups meet their goals was also seen as important. Conclusion and Recommendations Induction programs can create an environment for collaborative engagement that promotes adult and organizational learning. As they provide opportunities to share and learn, they fuel a passion for growth that can nurture a culture of learning and achievement throughout the school. As leaders work to cultivate a mind-set that adults must be the primary learners within the school, they can create processes and experiences that are supportive of new teacher development. The development of specific induction goals that align with the organization’s goals and individual growth seems central in the success of such a collaborative. Intentional meeting design should be developed from district and program goals while simultaneously integrating participants’ needs and wants, since choice is vital in ownership of learning. Traditional models of mentoring generally have a 1:1 ratio between mentor and mentee. Creating a constellation of mentoring relationships with multiple educators growing their knowledge base together, provides newly hired teachers a richer environment for learning and opportunity to maximize their potential. Learning communities should integrate skill development, provide protocols (learning plans), and decentralize leadership to provide for organizational development. Mentors should have clear expectations (job descriptions) yet maintain flexibility in their work. They should work directly with a coach to develop their own skills while developing those they mentor. This connection is the backbone to the nurturing and creation of an organizational culture grounded in learning and growth. Successful induction should be determined by the sustainability created through organic development. Non-participants should become participants, participants should become mentors, and mentors should become coaches. Once this reciprocity is integrated throughout the organization, there is a high potential for the creation of an organizational culture conducive to creativity, innovation, and continuous adult learning through a vibrant environment of engagement

From App Builders to App Editors

OutSystems provides a model-driven development and delivery platform aided by a rich visual environment, allowing developers to create enterprise-grade web and mobile applications. Until recently, most of this development capability came from Service Studio, the platform’s Integrated Development Environment (IDE), with which developers can quickly design a fully-fledged application. Nevertheless, in recent times the company has strived to offer a new collection of tools more focused on specific aspects of application development. The builders are tools that allow for non-IT related users to generate complete software solutions, with a small number of interactions, therefore reducing complexities correlated with the assembly of multiple-layer applications. Currently, there are two builders generally available: the Experience Builder providing greater focus towards the initial User Experience (UX) development, and theWorkflow Builder, associated with the design of task management and automation applications. Even though the OutSystems platform allows the combined use of the builders with Service Studio, currently this compatibility is unidirectional. That is, an application created using the Experience Builder, for instance, can be edited in the IDE but the inverse process is not possible. More specifically this shortcoming precludes a builder to update an application created or edited with any OutSystems tool. This substantially damages the chance for collaboration between different types of users employing different Out- Systems tools. The present dissertation sets as its paramount objective the enabling of different personas, both business and tech-oriented, to collaborate on the development of an enterprise-level application, employing the entire set of tools provided by the platform. From a more detailed standpoint, this work consists in the development of necessary model transformations proficient in supporting continuous and collaborative interoperability. Hence, this dissertation aims to expand the reach of the OutSystems product line, but also, from an academic standpoint, it hopes to provide a useful contribution to Model Driven Engineering and model transformations, advancing the state-of-the-art.A OutSystems fornece uma plataforma de desenvolvimento e entrega, orientada ao modelo e suportada num ambiente visual rico, permitindo aos seus programadores criarem aplicações móveis e web de nível empresarial. Durante vários anos, grande parte desta capacidade de desenvolvimento resultava do uso do Service Studio, o Integrated Development Environment da plataforma, capaz de rapidamente construir uma aplicação na sua plenitude. Ainda assim, nos últimos tempos a companhia empenhou-se em oferecer uma nova coleção de ferramentas, mais focadas em aspetos específicos do desenvolvimento aplicacional. Os builders, são então ferramentas que possibilitam que utilizadores não associados a áreas de IT possam gerar soluções completas de software atráves de um número reduzido de interações, conseguindo assim minorar complexidades correlacionadas com a montagem de múltiplas camadas aplicacionais. Atualmente, existem dois builders disponíveis para o público: o Experience Builder orientado ao desenvolvimento da User Experience (UX), o Workflow Builder, associado ao design de aplicações associadas a processos de gestão e automação de tarefas. Embora a plataforma OutSystems permita o uso combinado dos builders com o Service Studio, atualmente esta compatibilidade verifica-se como unidirecional. Isto é, uma aplicação criada no Experience Builder, por exemplo, pode ser editada no IDE, mas o processo inverso não é possível. Esta limitação impede um builder de atualizar uma aplicação criada ou editada utilizando uma qualquer ferramenta OutSystems. Isto prejudica substancialmente a colaboração entre diferentes tipos de utilizadores que empreguem diferentes ferramentas OutSystems. A presente tese define como objectivo principal capacitar diferentes personas não só orientadas ao negócio como às tecnologias, com a possibilidade de colaborar no desenvolvimento de uma aplicação de nível empresarial, podendo, para isso, utilizar a totalidade de ferramentas fornecidas pela plataforma. De um ponto de vista mais detalhado, este trabalho irá consistir no desenvolvimento das transformações de modelo necessárias para o suporte do desenvolvimento contínuo e colaborativo que se pretende. Deste modo, esta tese não só tem como propósito a expansão do alcance da linha de produtos OutSystems, como de um ponto de vista academico, pretende contibuir utilmente para o paradigma da Model Driven Engineering e das transformações de modelos, avançando assim o estado da arte

Encircled by Sisterhood: Mentoring Experiences of African American Women in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Research suggests that African American women are minorities by race and gender and the intersectionality of these constructs poses obstacles for African American women seeking to attain positions of power. Mentoring can aid African American women in overcoming these barriers. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the mentoring experiences of five African American women, the researcher and her sorority sister circle, who are members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and how their experiences have contributed to their identity and educational, career, and psychosocial success. This study focused on mentoring as a support system for African American women facing societal challenges such as racial issues, gender bias, and power struggles. The participants included the researcher and four women who have had mentoring relationships with the researcher. The dynamics of each relationship are different and intergenerational. Participants all reside in the Metro Atlanta area, and their ages range from 26-69 years of age. Each participant obtained a Bachelor\u27s degree or higher and is successful in her career. Black Feminist Thought was the theoretical framework that supported the purpose of this study. This framework supports the uplift of African American women and recognizes the significance and value of the African American woman‟s voice and lived experiences. Data collection methods included in-depth individual and focus group interviews, a demographic questionnaire, and analysis of personal artifacts. The interview responses were coded to find common themes and patterns significant to the participants\u27 mentoring experiences. Based on the findings, it was concluded that African American women who have mentors throughout their lives, from childhood through adulthood, have strong will and are confident in their self-identity which gives them the strength to overcome societal challenges faced because of the intersectionality of race and gender. Due to the limited amount of research on the mentoring experiences among African American women in sororities, the feedback gathered from the participants\u27 interviews should prove to be a significant contribution

MACI - modelo para autoria colaborativa de programas de intervenções para dispositivos móveis: MACI - model for collaborative authoring of intervention programs for mobile devices

Neste artigo apresentamos o modelo para a autoria colaborativa de programas de intervenções para dispositivos móveis (MACI). O modelo proposto divide o processo de monitoramento de participantes por intervenções programadas em quatro etapas sequenciais e cíclicas. Como principais características do modelo pode ser citado a sua simplicidade e a definição precisa das tarefas e objetivos de cada etapa, o que permite que sejam definidos os atores, seus papéis, as tarefas a serem realizadas e os resultados esperados. Como prova de conceito do modelo foi desenvolvida a ferramenta de autoria colaborativa para a criação de programas de intervenções programadas fundamentados no ESM (FACEE),  que aplica técnicas de Desenvolvimento de Software pelo Usuário Final (EUD) para ofertar a especialistas, com pouca ou nenhuma experiência em desenvolvimento de software, a possibilidade de criarem programas de intervenções programadas seguindo o método de amostragem de experiência (ESM)

Enhancing patient and organizational readiness for cardiovascular risk reduction among Black and Latinx patients living with HIV: Study protocol.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLWH) now that HIV is a manageable chronic disease. Identification and treatment of comorbid medical conditions for PLWH, including CVD and its risk factors, typically lack a critical component of care: integrated care for histories of trauma. Experiences of trauma are associated with increased HIV infection, CVD risk, inconsistent treatment adherence, and poor CVD outcomes. To address this deficit among those at greatest risk and disproportionately affected by HIV and trauma-i.e., Black and Latinx individuals-a novel culturally-congruent, evidence-informed care model, "Healing our Hearts, Minds and Bodies" (HHMB), has been designed to address patients' trauma histories and barriers to care, and to prepare patients to engage in CVD risk reduction. Further, in recognition of the need to ensure that PLWH receive guideline-concordant cardiovascular care, implementation strategies have been identified that prepare providers and clinics to address CVD risk among their Black and Latinx PLWH. The focus of this paper is to describe the hybrid Type 2 effectiveness/implementation study design, the goal of which is to increase both patient and organizational readiness to address trauma and CVD risk among 260 Black and Latinx PLWH recruited from two HIV service organizations in Southern California. This study is expected to produce important information regarding the value of the HHMB intervention and implementation processes and strategies designed for use in implementing HHMB and other evidence-informed programs in diverse, resource-constrained treatment settings, including those that serve patients living in deep poverty. Clinical trials registry: NCT04025463

Land–ocean interactions in the coastal zone: past, present & future

The Land–ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) project was established in 1993 as a core project of the International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme (IGBP) to provide the science knowledge to answer "How will changes in land use, sea level and climate alter coastal systems, and what are the wider consequences?" In its first phase of operation (1993–2003) LOICZ began a fundamental investigation focused on biophysical dimensions, including seminal assessments of coastal seas as net sources or sinks of atmospheric CO2, river discharge to the oceans, and biogeochemical modelling. In the second generation of LOICZ (2004–2014), increased attention was paid to the human dimensions of the coast, involving the inclusion of cross-cutting themes such as coastal governance, social-ecological systems, ecological economics and activities around capacity building and the promotion of early career scientists. This paper provides a synthesis of this work and looks forward to the future challenges for the project. With the transition to Future Earth, there is a paradigm shift emerging. The new vision is to support transformation to a sustainable and resilient future for society and nature on the coast, by facilitating innovative, integrated and solutions-oriented science. Realising this vision takes LOICZ into a third generation: to be at the forefront of co-designing, co-producing and co-implementing knowledge for coastal resilience and sustainability. LOICZ as Future Earth Coasts will continue to address 'hotspots' of coastal vulnerability, focusing on themes of dynamic coasts, human development and the coast, and pathways to global coastal sustainability and constraints thereof

Futures of inland aquatic agricultural systems and implications for fish agri-food systems in southern Africa

The CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) is collaborating with partners to develop and implement a foresight-based engagement with diverse stakeholders linked to aquatic agricultural systems. The program’s aim is to understand the implications of current drivers of change for fish agri-food systems, and consequently food and nutrition security, in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Partners include the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AU-NEPAD). A key part of the program was a participatory scenario-building workshop held in July 2015 under the theme of "futures of aquatic agricultural systems and implications for fish agri-food systems in southern Africa." The objectives for the workshop were (i) to engage local stakeholders in exploring plausible futures of aquatic agricultural systems, and (ii) to broker and catalyze collaborative plans of action based on the foresight analysis. This report presents technical findings from the workshop. The CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) is collaborating with partners to develop and implement a foresight-based engagement with diverse stakeholders linked to aquatic agricultural systems. The program’s aim is to understand the implications of current drivers of change for fish agri-food systems, and consequently food and nutrition security, in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Partners include the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AU-NEPAD). A key part of the program was a participatory scenario-building workshop held in July 2015 under the theme of "futures of aquatic agricultural systems and implications for fish agri-food systems in southern Africa." The objectives for the workshop were (i) to engage local stakeholders in exploring plausible futures of aquatic agricultural systems, and (ii) to broker and catalyze collaborative plans of action based on the foresight analysis. This report presents technical findings from the workshop