Research On and Activities For Mathematically Gifted Students

This Topical Survey offers a brief overview of the current state of research on and activities for mathematically gifted students around the world. This is of interest to a broad readership, including educational researchers, research mathematicians, mathematics teachers, teacher educators, curriculum designers, doctoral students, and other stakeholders. It first discusses research concerning the nature of mathematical giftedness, including theoretical frameworks and methodologies that are helpful in identifying and/or creating mathematically gifted students, which is described in this section. It also focuses on research on and the development of mathematical talent and innovation in students, including connections between cognitive, social and affective aspects of mathematically gifted students. Exemplary teaching and learning practices, curricula and a variety of programs that contribute to the development of mathematical talent, gifts, and passion are described as well as the pedagogy and mathematics content suitable for educating pre-service and in-service teachers of mathematically gifted students. The final section provides a brief summary of the paper along with suggestions for the research, activities, and resources that should be available to support mathematically gifted students and their teachers, parents, and other stakeholders

Nutrition and Learning in the Australian Context

Good nutrition plays a key role in promoting physical and mental health throughout the lifespan. In exploring the link between nutrition and health, research confirms that dietary practices are particularly important during the early years of life. Good nutrition promotes immune function and supports the rapid growth that occurs during the childhood years, while helping children to develop healthy lifelong behaviours. In addition to positive health outcomes, there is evidence that good nutrition enhances brain function. For example, a healthy diet supports optimal learning capacity and cognitive ability, and enhances concentration, IQ scores and academic achievement. Despite this, many Australian children are consuming a diet that is characterised by increased consumption of foods with limited nutrient content. Disparities in nutrition and educational outcomes across diverse population groups also prompts consideration of broader social determinants of health. For example, strong scientific data indicates correlations between socio-economic disadvantage and poorer diets amongst children. The interconnectedness between nutrition and educational outcomes provides opportunities for teachers and schools to support and promote the role of nutrition for learning. Learning for nutrition equally shapes the work of teachers and schools. In considering the interdependence between nutrition and learning, and the broader factors that shape Australian children’s diets, this chapter investigates the importance of nutrition for learning, as well as learning for nutrition. In particular, we focus on diverse skills and competencies that can be developed across the primary years within the classroom. We then conclude with a brief discussion of the role of schools in promoting nutrition, through the promotion and availability of healthy food options for all children

Oral vaccination of wildlife using a vaccinia–rabies-glycoprotein recombinant virus vaccine (RABORAL V-RG®): a global review

International audienceAbstractRABORAL V-RG® is an oral rabies vaccine bait that contains an attenuated (“modified-live”) recombinant vaccinia virus vector vaccine expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein gene (V-RG). Approximately 250 million doses have been distributed globally since 1987 without any reports of adverse reactions in wildlife or domestic animals since the first licensed recombinant oral rabies vaccine (ORV) was released into the environment to immunize wildlife populations against rabies. V-RG is genetically stable, is not detected in the oral cavity beyond 48 h after ingestion, is not shed by vaccinates into the environment, and has been tested for thermostability under a range of laboratory and field conditions. Safety of V-RG has been evaluated in over 50 vertebrate species, including non-human primates, with no adverse effects observed regardless of route or dose. Immunogenicity and efficacy have been demonstrated under laboratory and field conditions in multiple target species (including fox, raccoon, coyote, skunk, raccoon dog, and jackal). The liquid vaccine is packaged inside edible baits (i.e., RABORAL V-RG, the vaccine-bait product) which are distributed into wildlife habitats for consumption by target species. Field application of RABORAL V-RG has contributed to the elimination of wildlife rabies from three European countries (Belgium, France and Luxembourg) and of the dog/coyote rabies virus variant from the United States of America (USA). An oral rabies vaccination program in west-central Texas has essentially eliminated the gray fox rabies virus variant from Texas with the last case reported in a cow during 2009. A long-term ORV barrier program in the USA using RABORAL V-RG is preventing substantial geographic expansion of the raccoon rabies virus variant. RABORAL V-RG has also been used to control wildlife rabies in Israel for more than a decade. This paper: (1) reviews the development and historical use of RABORAL V-RG; (2) highlights wildlife rabies control programs using the vaccine in multiple species and countries; and (3) discusses current and future challenges faced by programs seeking to control or eliminate wildlife rabies