Presidential Address: The Aquatic Plant Management Society and Our Future Sphere of Influence

Presidential address of Alison M. Fo

#any use? What do we know about how teachers and doctors learn through social media use?

This scoping literature review describes the landscape of recent publications (2007-2016) about how teachers and doctors learn through social media to identify whether learning was being considered and, if so, how evidence was collected (N=162). Sixty-seven percent (N=108) were teacher-related and thirty-three percent (N=54) doctor-related, covering empirical studies, literature reviews, position articles and letters to academic journals. Empirical studies were dominant – ninety-one percent (N=98) of teacher-related and sixty-one percent (N=33) of doctor-related – with both fields dominated by in-course evaluations and use/attitude studies. Although doctor-related articles focused on professional online behaviour, rather than professional learning, conference communication and information evaluation were interesting areas of enquiry. Despite professional interest in social media in these professions, there is a dearth of academic studies about their benefits for teacher and doctor learning

What makes useful evidence for educational leadership practice? An interview

An interview with Eric Addae-Kyeremeh about his views on the pressing question ‘What makes useful evidence for educational leadership practice?’ as advice for leaders in educational settings

Influence of Water Depth on the Rate of Expansion of Giant Cutgrass Populations and Management Implications

Giant cutgrass ( Zizaniopsis miliacea (Michx.) Doell. & Asch.), a tall emergent grass native to the southeastern United States, was studied in Lake Seminole where it formed large expanding stands, and Lake Alice where it was confined to a stable narrow fringe

Leading Collaborative Professional Enquiry: Implications for Teachers, Chartered Teachers and their Managers

This research explores the implications of the practice of collaborative professional enquiry on professional re-formation and development. A series of case studies focuses on four aspiring Chartered Teachers as they lead collaborative enquiries in two schools. The case studies take account of the experiences of the teachers in the collaborative groups, as well as the managers in both schools. Using a Foucauldian theoretical framework, relations of power between all participants are explored. This reveals that active positioning is in operation. The Chartered Teachers are positioned in an ‘in-between’ space: neither teacher nor manager, and this appears to have allowed them to construct and negotiate new possibilities, contributing to their developing professional identities. While this challenged the established hierarchies in schools, the teachers reported that undertaking collaborative professional enquiry under the leadership of the Chartered Teachers, benefitted themselves and their pupils, appearing to offer opportunities to demonstrate an active professionalism which was in contrast to the expectations of their managers. The findings raise several issues for consideration by the profession. These include a recommendation that collaborative professional enquiry is encouraged as a core pedagogical resource. The research also highlights the need for policy makers to take account of the way power is exercised in and on schools when developing new policies and evaluating the success of current ones. It is argued that genuine and open dialogue is necessary and it is recommended that the national CPD framework should reconsider the current practice of supporting distinctive pathways within the profession

Plurality or Linearity: What is the Experience of Emerging as a School Leader in the English Context?

This study in an English context focused on the development of teachers identified as 'emergent' school leaders. It explored the aspirations and experiences of such leaders, applying a sociocultural view of identity development. Five participants from across school phases, backgrounds and ages were interviewed and generated participant learning logs over 1- 3 years. This paper focuses on the visual representations of these leaders' identity development, to reveal their multiple identities. Whilst identity development was unique, three of the leaders aspired to become senior leaders and two to become 'valued peers'. This paper poses the question as to whether schools and those supporting school leaders fully appreciate and support such plurality

Collaborating to Create Elder Friendly Communities in New Hampshire: A Scan of the Current Landscape

The fact that the population of the United States is aging is no surprise; the demographic projections are well documented. There have never been as many older adults living as there are today, and this number will only increase. Northern New England is aging more rapidly than the rest of the country, with Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire having the oldest populations in term of median age (U.S. Census, 2014). New Hampshire is expected to be the fastest aging state in New England through 2030, with nearly one-third of its population being over the age of 65 (Norton, 2011). This phenomenon is anticipated to place substantial pressure on publicly-funded health programs and long-term services and supports in the Granite State. But the story of the aging of the population is not only about increased numbers. As longevity increases, the average age of the older population will see a dramatic increase. The number of persons over the age of 85 in the United States is expected to increase five-fold by 2040. As the possibility for functional limitations and disability increases with age, the need for long-term, formal, and informal supports is expected to increase as the number of older adults, particularly those over the age of 85 increases. In addition, women continue to live longer than men; on average, life expectancy for women is three years longer than for men. These factors create a complex picture of aging, which includes a growing population of older adults, a majority of whom will be women; and a growing number of those over the age of 85, who are more likely to require some type of assistance as they age. It is a mistake to look at our aging population in a singular way. Although we tend to make generalizations about older adults, as a group, they are more physiologically and socially diverse than any other age group (Brummel-Smith & Mosqueda, 2003). As we age, we become more and more diverse, as there are no two people who have had the same life experiences, shaping who we are over our lifetimes. The baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are likely to be the most diverse cohort of older adults we have seen to date, and it is likely that they will redefine our conception of age and aging. Older adults bring a diverse set of skills, talents, and knowledge that should be tapped as a significant natural resource to support a new and exciting vision of aging

Building an Aging Advocacy Network: Findings from the New Hampshire Senior Leadership Series

Public policy related to senior issues has not kept pace with the changes called for by an aging population. Advocacy is an important part of the policy landscape as it promotes a united effort to create change and encourage legislative action. Effective advocacy helps inform and educate policy makers, allows individuals to have their voices heard, builds stronger communities, and allows people to live more fulfilling lives. However, policy makers are inundated with causes to support, and it is easy for certain populations or causes to be lost in this process. This has been especially true for advocacy efforts around the needs of an aging population. At the legislative level, the older adult advocacy network is disjointed, underrepresented, and drowned out by groups that have stronger, moreformidable advocacy networks. The lack of a strong grassroots advocacy network for older adults is of growing concern as our population ages. This is a particularly important issue in New Hampshire as we are one of the oldest states in the nation (US Census, 2014). This paper examines the lack of advocacy for senior issues in the Granite State and explores strategies that can be employed to grow grass-roots leadership among older adults. The New Hampshire Senior Leadership Series, a program that provides support and training in advocacy and leadership skills, is highlighted as a promising practice to address this need. The series educates seniors in leadership skills necessary to advocate for legislative and policy changes that promote healthy aging, livable communities, and options to allow seniors to live and age in the communities of their choice. In order to ensure that New Hampshire residents have access to services and supports as they age, advocacy and leadership is a critical need. To determine the value of the Senior Leadership Series, a survey was developed and distributed to all Senior Leadership Series graduates. The survey aimed to determine how effective the series was at preparing participants to be community leaders and advocates

Submerged Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors: Fouling, Phage Removal and Flowsheet Models

This thesis focuses on the Submerged Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (SAMBR). The aim of this work was threefold; firstly, to investigate the effect of certain system parameters on membrane fouling in the SAMBR; secondly, to monitor phage removal in the SAMBR; and, finally to assess the viability of anaerobic wastewater treatment processes (including the SAMBR) to treat domestic sewage (rather than sludge) for full scale operations in the UK. Using a Kubota flat sheet membrane with 0.4μm pores, the critical flux was found to be 11.8 lm-2h-1 (litres per meter squared per hour or LMH), similar to those found by other researchers. The existence of a critical gassing rate was investigated (‘there exists a critical gassing rate which when reached causes a steep rise in transmembrane pressure (TMP)’), and was determined to be 4 litres per minute (LPM) or 2.4 m3m-2h-1; more interestingly, this appeared to happen at the changeover between a slug flow regime and bubble flow. The viscosity of the biomass in the SAMBR was found to be 2.5 times greater than water with the colloid fraction having the largest impact on the overall viscosity. The build-up of foulants on the membrane was thought to be the cause of a 10 fold increase in molecular weight cut off that was observed after operation beyond the critical flux and gassing rate. In addition, after extensive fouling some removal of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was observed from 3.35% acetate removal to 5.9% removal of isovalerate, and this was not likely to be due to degradation across the membrane, but was thought to be due to electrostatic repulsion by the biofilm. The removal of bacteriophages by the SAMBR was used as a model for the removal of pathogenic viruses. Before critical operation (and the resulting jump in TMP), the smallest phage (MS-2) showed removals of between 1.8 - 2.1 log removal value (LRV), while the larger T4 phage showed removals from 5.1 - 5.3 log. Once critical operation had occurred, and the TMP increased, the T4 phage had a log removal greater than 7. The MS-2 phage, after operation beyond the critical parameters, showed a log removal dependence on the gas scouring rate. The LRV varied from 3.0 at a low gassing rate up to 5.5 at the highest gas scour, and this was thought to be due to concentration polarisation effects. The effect of activated carbon on phage removal was also investigated; while PAC had little effect, the addition of GAC to the SAMBR actually caused an increase in phage throughput. Finally, a range of potential flowsheets for anaerobic wastewater treatment were modelled. It can be concluded from this work that anaerobic treatment is a practical and promising alternative to conventional activated sludge plants. In addition, the SAMBR was found to be the most favourable anaerobic unit. However, it was noted that there is still a lack of full scale data for this unit, thus further emphasising the importance of research into this technology