Assessing the Influence of Brain-based Instructional Methods and Its Impact on Systemic Change for Learning Communities

Background: As scholars who prepare future school leaders to be innovative instructional leaders for their learning communities, we are on the verge of a curriculum design revolution. The application of brain research findings promotes educational reform efforts to systemically change the way in which children experience school. However, most educators, school leaders, board members, and policy makers are ill prepared to reconsider the implications for assessment, pedagogy, school climate, daily schedules, and use of technology. This qualitative study asked future school leaders to reconsider how school leadership preparedness programs prepared them to become instructional leaders for the 21st century. The findings from this study will enhance the field of school leadership, challenging the current emphasis placed on standardized testing, traditional school calendars, assessments, monocultural instructional methods, and meeting the needs of diverse learning communities. [See PDF for complete abstract

Stabilization of tetragonal/cubic phase in Fe doped Zirconia grown by atomic layer deposition

Achieving high temperature ferromagnetism by doping transition metals thin films is seen as a viable approach to integrate spin-based elements in innovative spintronic devices. In this work we investigated the effect of Fe doping on structural properties of ZrO2 grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using Zr(TMHD)4 for Zr and Fe(TMHD)3 for Fe precursors and ozone as oxygen source. The temperature during the growth process was fixed at 350{\deg}C. The ALD process was tuned to obtain Fe doped ZrO2 films with uniform chemical composition, as seen by time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. The control of Fe content was effectively reached, by controlling the ALD precursor pulse ratio, as checked by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and spectroscopic ellipsometry. From XPS, Fe was found in Fe3+ chemical state, which maximizes the magnetization per atom. We also found, by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, that the inclusion of Fe impurities in ZrO2 induces amorphization in thin ZrO2 films, while stabilizes the high temperature crystalline tetragonal/cubic phase after rapid thermal annealing at 600{\deg}C.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, 1 Tabl

The Summer School Oncology Groningen:Improving a Successful International Course by Refining the Old, Maintaining What's Good

For more than two decades, the International Summer School Oncology for Medical Students (ISOMS) has organized a biennial 2-week international summer school program in Groningen, the Netherlands. The summer school aims to increase knowledge about general cancer care, reduce fear of talking to cancer patients, and expose students to cancer-related problems. After 22 years, there was a need to improve the summer school format, the application procedure, and the intensity of the course. Here, we describe and evaluate these and additional changes that were made to the program. Several changes were made to the summer school format. The course was shortened from 10 days to a more intensive 7 days. The scientific program was integrated with the clinical program and students were taught scientific writing and presentation skills. The application process involved a personal video pitch. Importantly, the new summer school format was organized by a committee in which medical students had the lead. To evaluate the changes to the summer school, we conducted knowledge tests and regularly obtained feedback. There was a high overall student satisfaction, with a median score of a 9 out of 10. Students appreciated the interactive sessions and practicals and the scientific program, and were satisfied with the course level. All students had improved test scores. Improvement points highlighted the need for a less packed schedule and more lectures on basic oncology principles, or were related to specific lectures. The student-led innovation and adaptation of the ISOMS has been successful

An Evaluation of Traffic Accident Records Systems in Texas and Other States, PRP 65

This report on the accident-reporting and records systems in Texas and other states is the product of a Policy Research Project conducted at the LBJ School in the 1983-84 academic year. The publication was funded by the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation.Public Affair