The Implementation and Impact of Growth Mindset in a North Texas School District

Growth mindset strategies are linked to positive academic behaviors. Additionally, it is common knowledge that a school’s learning environment and the teachers’ attitudes and points of view are influential on student learning. However, leaders of school districts continue to struggle with effecting necessary changes to alter schools’ culture and implement practices that align with growth mindset. One North Texas suburban school district (Coppell Independent School District) is leading a shared effort to ensure growth mindset culture and practices are implemented district-wide. The purpose of this single case study was to understand how district leaders, school leaders, and teachers incorporated growth mindset principles into the culture and educational practices at Coppell and how they perceived the impact of growth mindset. A sample of 15 administrators, leaders, and teachers participated. The results of thematic analysis of semistructured interviews and document analysis revealed mindset is incorporated into the culture and educational practices as revealed through the following themes: (a) leaders and teachers live and support growth mindset; (b) the environment is designed to promote growth; (c) building positive relationships is a priority; (d) valuing growth is promoted through language and communication; (e) failure, struggles, and mistakes are okay; (f) risk and effort are encouraged; and (g) assessment and grading practices emphasize learning. Results of the thematic analysis of interviews and documents on the impact of growth mindset include (a) there is a positive impact of unleashing the potential of individuals and the group and (b) continuous improvement and self-reflection are a result of growth mindset. Recommendations for future research and for school districts considering implementing growth mindset into their culture and educational practices are provided

Shaping Twenty-first-century Civil Rights Advocacy: Latinos in Metro Atlanta

AbstractThis article chronicles the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund's civil rights history in Atlanta and the Southeast from 2000 to 2009 and beyond. It draws on testimonies of maldef officials, as well as pertinent historical, social science, and legal scholarship and media accounts, to reveal changing regional Latino migration and settlement patterns and emerging twenty-first-century legal advocacy strategies. Also covered are organized responses to state and local anti-immigrant ordinances passed after September 11, 2001, resistance to residential and workplace discrimination faced by suburban undocumented immigrants, and the fragile nature of coalitions in the contemporary Latino civil rights movement

EXPLORATORY TESTS ON POSSIBLE INJURIOUS AFTER EFFECTS OF PIGEON PEAS ON SUBSEQUENT CROPS

EXPLORATORY TESTS ON POSSIBLE INJURIOUS AFTER EFFECTS OF PIGEON PEAS ON SUBSEQUENT CROP

Fabrication of poly (vinylidene fluoride) films by ultrasonic spray coating; uniformity and piezoelectric properties

Piezoelectric Poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films with high flexibility are a suitable and promising replacement for rigid ceramic piezoelectric materials. However, for this purpose, enhancing piezoelectric properties and adopting an industrial fabrication method are of great importance. In this study, 5–9 µm thick PVDF films were fabricated by a nozzle-less ultrasonic spray coating (USC) system, followed by an annealing process at 100 °C. By applying proper spraying parameters, we could obtain highly uniform films with large d33 values (48 pm/V) and 56% crystallinity. Results show that the uniformity of the films plays an important role in the final piezoelectric properties. Thus, ultrasonic spray coating method can be used for fabrication of large-scale piezoelectric films with no need for poling or stretching processes

A new genus of Phengodidae (Coleoptera) from the Neotropical Region

Cleicosta, a new genus of Phengodidae containing two new species, C. equatoreana sp. nov., and C. monaguense sp. nov., are described. Additionally, a new combination for Cenophengus breviplumatus Wittmer, 1976 is included. Cleicosta gen. nov., is the thirty-eighth genus assigned to the beetle family Phengodidae in the new world and is also the most morphologically similar to Cenophengus LeConte, 1881. Both genera exhibit clearly separated tentorial pits, vertical frons and simple tarsomeres. In Cleicosta gen. nov., however, the antennal rami are 1.5 times longer than the corresponding antennomere, the pronotum is subquadrate and the elytra are short, reaching the first or second abdominal segment. In addition, it presents an aedeagus with lateral lobes slender, parallel exteriorly, narrowed medially to toothless apex

Liberación controlada de fenoles a partir de películas biodegradables de quitosana enriquecidas con extracto de cúrcuma (Curcuma longa)

To increase the antioxidant capacity of chitosan films, plant extracts and natural essential oils have been incorporated, due to the high concentration of phenolic compounds they possess. Turmeric (Curcuma longa), in addition to having high antimicrobial capacity, manifests a recognized antioxidant power. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the kinetic release of phenolic compounds from films made with different concentrations of chitosan (275 kDa) and hydroalcoholic extract of turmeric (75% ethanol, 5.5 mg/mL phenols). To prepare the films, chitosan was dissolved in 1% lactic acid and Tween 80 and turmeric extract were added to obtain films with 60-250 µg/g of phenols. The films were formed in molds and dried at 50 °C for 10 hours. The determination of phenols was carried out using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated using the ABTS•+ method. The release of phenols was studied in saline phosphate buffer, adjusting the data to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model to determine the kinetic mechanism of release. With the increase in phenolic content in the films with the same concentration of chitosan, it was observed that the antioxidant capacity increased. When the concentration of chitosan increased, with the same phenolic content, the antioxidant capacity of the films behaved antagonistically. The release of phenolic compounds from the films complied with a Fickian diffusion mechanism, except in the film of 1.5% (m/v) chitosan and 77 µg/g of phenols.Para aumentar la capacidad antioxidante de las películas de quitosana se ha acudido a la incorporación de extractos vegetales y aceites esenciales naturales, debido a la alta concentración de compuestos fenólicos. La cúrcuma (Curcuma longa), además de poseer alta capacidad antimicrobiana, manifiesta un poder antioxidante reconocido. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la cinética liberación de los compuestos fenólicos desde películas elaboradas con diferentes concentraciones de quitosana (275 kDa) y extracto hidroalcohólico de cúrcuma (75% de etanol, 5,5 mg/mL de fenoles). Para la preparación de las películas se disolvió la quitosana en ácido láctico al 1% y se añadió Tween 80 y el extracto de cúrcuma para obtener películas con 60-250 µg/g de fenoles. Las películas se formaron en moldes y se secaron a 50 ºC por 10 horas. La determinación de fenoles se realizó mediante el método de Folin-Ciocalteu. La capacidad antioxidante se evaluó mediante el método ABTS•+. La liberación de fenoles se estudió en buffer fosfato salino, ajustándose los datos al modelo de Korsmeyer-Peppas para determinar el mecanismo cinético de liberación. Con el aumento del contenido fenólico en las películas con una misma concentración de quitosana, se incrementó la capacidad antioxidante. Cuando aumentó la concentración de quitosana, con un mismo contenido fenólico, la capacidad antioxidante de las películas se comportó de forma antagónica. La liberación de los compuestos fenólicos desde las películas cumplió con un mecanismo de difusión fickiana, excepto en la película de 1,5 % (m/v) de quitosana y 77 µg/g de fenoles