Impact of a Coaching Cycle on Teacher Self-Efficacy

The purpose of this action research project was to determine the correlation between teacher self-efficacy and engaging in a student-centered coaching cycle with an instructional coach. Data was collected through qualitative responses via an electronic self-efficacy survey from a sample group of four middle school teachers. Analysis of the data collected suggested that engaging with an instructional coach in a coaching cycle increases a teacher’s overall self-efficacy

Impact of one night sleep restriction on autonomic function and heart rate variability in recreational cyclists

Introduction: Sleep quality has been shown to influence autonomic function. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) responds to stressors by regulating key functions such as heart rate. Autonomic function can be monitored via heart rate variability (HRV). Athletes are prone to poor sleep quality due to psychological and physical stresses of training and competing. Our objective was to investigate the function of the ANS at rest and during exercise following a night of normal sleep (SLP+) and a night of restricted sleep (SLP-). Methods: Subjects (n=9) completed a familiarization trial and two identical experimental trials under different sleep conditions: SLP- (3-hour sleep) and SLP+ (8-hour sleep). Trials consisted of laying supine for 10 min (breathing at 12 bpm) before a 20-min exercise test (10 min at 50% Wmax; 10 min at 60% Wmax) that was followed by a self-paced 3-km time trial. Data were analyzed using paired sample statistics via SPSS software. Results:Significant differences (P \u3c 0.05) between trials were noted through elevated resting HR after the SLP+ condition and elevated low frequency (LF) power (%) variable in the 60% Wmaxportion of the exercise test during the SLP+ trial. There were no significant differences found in any of the other variables between conditions. Conclusion: The primary findings of this study indicate that one night of sleep restriction has little impact on HRV during subsequent exercise. These data show that one night of sleep restriction has an effect on resting HR and the LF power (%) variable in the 60% Wmaxportion of the exercise test. The results suggest elevated activity of the sympathetic nervous system during the SLP+ trial. No other variables were impacted by one night of sleep restriction

Shaping OurSpace

The Shaping OurSpace program was developed over five, half-day meetings at the Girls Inc. site at Booker T. Washington Homes (BTW), in Columbus, Georgia. Approximately 12 summer camp girls (ages between 7 and 15) took part in the program (this varied from meeting to meeting). Two faculty from Columbus State University developed the weekly program to support the girls’ involvement in the planning process to envision a future for the neighborhood: Dr. Becky Becker (Department of Theatre) and Dr. Amanda Rees (Department of History and Geography). Activities The program was a mix of theatre activities designed to support listening and speaking so that the girls would be prepared to engage in the public planning process, combined with geography and planning-oriented activities that supported each girl’s ability to analyze her neighborhood, and imagine a new neighborhood development. The geography activities were developed as part of CSU’s Cultural Geography class, spring 2012. The neighborhoods being planned in this activity included BTW, where the Girls Inc. afterschool and summer school meeting room is located, and the Liberty Neighborhood, two blocks to the north of BTW. Outcomes Shaping OurSpace is designed to prepare the girls to think about their neighborhood(s). We began by analyzing the girls’ familiarity with the BTW neighborhood, we then toured the neighborhood and created an assessment of the neighborhood’s strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we envisioned a future three-dimensional Lego plan for the Liberty Neighborhood section. As a culminating event, the girls will present their findings to a representative from the Columbus Housing Authority, the organization taking the lead in the redevelopment of BTW-Liberty District into a mixed use residential space

“Nobody’s More Country”: Identity in Country-Rap Crossover Music

Country and hip-hop music often are positioned as opposites, creating and reinforcing distinct identities that may oppose each other. Yet, there are several underlying narratives of identity that are similar between the two genres. This project examines the mutual constitution of country and hip-hop through the lens of country-rap crossover music, focusing on the American identities that come together with the crossing over of music genres and the development of identities that lie beyond the bounds of the individual genres. It considers how the interactions between such identities within music mirror contemporary societal discourse on social issues including race, gender, sexuality, and class. In this way, country-rap crossover has the capacity to promote understanding across differences. Crossover can be about reconciling what it means to be American, the music attempting to resolve the ambiguities and contradictions between rural and urban American identities. Country-rap and crossover broadly lend themselves to this purpose as dialogues between identity groups occur within it and are intrinsic to it. This thesis offers a critical analysis of such conversations through close readings of country-rap crossover songs like “Old Town Road” (2019), “My Truck” (2020), and “Nobody’s More Country” (2021)

Evaluating Common Item Block Options when Faced with Practical Constraints

This study evaluates the impact of common item characteristics on the outcome of equating in credentialing examinations when traditionally recommended representation is not possible. This research used real data sets from several credentialing exams to test the impact of content representation, item statistics, and number of common items on equating results. The results of this research suggests that it may not be necessary to have a common item block that is strictly proportional in content or difficulty to the entire exam if the exam is unidimensional. The results also suggest that it may be beneficial to use all common items between two forms for equating instead of focusing on a smaller anchor block. Accessed 2,858 times on https://pareonline.net from September 30, 2015 to December 31, 2019. For downloads from January 1, 2020 forward, please click on the PlumX Metrics link to the right

An investigation into the impact of science communication and cognitive strain on attitudes towards climate change

One of the most dramatic examples of the negative consequence of poor scientific communication is the issue of climate change, contributing to widespread mistrust and misunderstanding of how scientists do their work (Somerville & Hassol, 2011). Several studies have attempted to determine why there is such a discrepancy between the science community and people’s opinion of climate change. One such study measured participants’ skepticism about climate change before and after reading two newspaper editorials making opposing claims about the reality and seriousness of climate change. Results show significantly more skepticism about climate change after reading the editorial contradicting climate science (Corner, Whitmarsh, & Xenias 2012). Though science communication is a factor in individuals’ opinion of climate change, another study from the University of Maine found participants subjected to cognitive strain report more conservative political and social attitudes than the control group (Eidelman, Crandall, Goodman, & Blanchar, 2012). In the present study, we have combined these methods into one investigation to analyze the interaction between cognitive strain, the manner in which science information is presented, and attitudes toward climate change. Data were collected using in-person interviews. Political ideology was measured using the New Ecological Paradigm Scale (NEP, “a measure of endorsement of a “pro-ecological world view” (New Ecological Paradigm Scale, 2012)) and the Social and Economic Conservatism Scale (SECs) (Everett, 2013). Participants were randomly assigned to read one of three editorials, conveying positive, negative, or neutral perspectives on climate change, and the Stroop Test was administered to induce cognitive load in the experimental group. Finally, the Climate Change Skepticism scale (CCSs) was used to determine a participant’s attitudes toward climate change. Data were analyzed using the statistical analysis package, SPSS, to compare climate change attitudes between groups. We expected mentally taxed participants and those given the negative editorial to demonstrate significantly more skeptical views of climate change compared to participants not subjected to cognitive strain and those receiving neutral or positive editorials. Results from the present study show no effect of science communication or cognitive strain on attitudes toward climate change

Courage and Connection in Teaching

Social-emotional learning has been shown to have a positive impact on student outcomes, but too little attention has been placed on how the social-emotional competence of teachers is integral to this process. This study addresses teacher social and emotional competency (SEC) and how those skills translate into student-teacher relationship building and classroom practices. This study also addresses the issue of how teachers experience and deal with shame in the workplace. In order to better understand the characteristics of SEC teachers and how they build relationships with students and how they deal with shame, I first conducted a survey of how secondary teachers viewed their SEC and if they had experienced shame related to their positions as teachers. Following the survey, I observed the classroom practices of seven secondary teachers. Finally, I interviewed the seven teachers so that they could explain their views on SEC, their classroom practices, how they develop relationships with students, and how they experience shame in the workplace

Den eocena Furformationen i Danmark : exceptionella bevaringstillstånd har bidragit till att djurs mjukdelar fossiliserats

Furformationen i Danmark är en 54 miljoner år gammal Konservat-lagerstätte med ett rikt register av exceptionellt bevarade fossil. Den unika bevaringen bidrar med information som vanligtvis inte förekommer i det fossila arkivet, såsom mjukdelar. Från Furformationen är mjukdelar som hår, hud, fjädrar och ögon kända. De är bevarade i en marin diatomit, antingen som förkolnade avtryck eller som tredimensionellt bevarade ben, varav skeletten är tillplattade. För att exceptionell bevaring ska ske krävs särskilda förhållanden/avsättningsmiljöer. I denna uppsats beskrivs olika tafonomiska processer som kan ha bidragit till den exceptionella bevaringen i Furformationen, samt en sammanfattning av den kunskap som fossil från formationen gett. En undersökning av ett fossilt benfiskexemplar gjordes med hjälp av svepelektronmikroskopering och elementanalys. Sedimentologin i Furformationen tycks ha spelat en stor roll för bevaringen i och med dess innehåll av kalcitkonkretioner och lermineral. Både konkretioner och lermineral är viktiga för bevarandet av mjukdelar. Resultaten av analysen visade att fjällen består avkalciumfosfat, vilket tolkas som att fosfatisering spelat en roll i bevaringen. Periodvisa syrefria/syrefattiga förhållanden under avsättningen förmodas haft stor roll för den exceptionell bevaring genom förhindrande av bioturbation, samt att den kan ha bidragit med långsammare nedbrytningsprocesser. Fossilen i Furformationen har bidragit med kunskap som omfattar klimatet, utdöda djurs färger, samt fåglarnas och fiskarnas utveckling

Strategic Planning in Small Nonprofit Behavioral Health Organizations

Rural communities in the United States depend on small community-based nonprofits to provide access to food, nutrition, transportation, and other social determinants of health. Despite this essential role, some leaders of small nonprofits forgo participating in strategic planning because they believe that the process can be time consuming and expensive. Strategic planning may help organizations of any size to be organized, mission focused, outcome based, and successful. The strategic planning process helps to identify which outcomes demonstrate effectiveness and increase program sustainability. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways that strategic planning may assist small rural community-based nonprofits in building sustainable programs. A single-case study design was used. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with board members and a review of organizational documentation. The Baldrige excellence framework was used to examine the study organization. Thematic analysis produced six themes: mission, passion, working board, unidentified goals, youth of the organization, and strategic planning. The findings reinforce how much rural communities rely on small nonprofits to provide essential services. The study’s implications for positive social change include providing small nonprofit leaders with insight into ways that participating in the strategic planning process may increase organizational viability and sustainability so that the needs of communities continue to be met