Real exchange rate fluctuations and the dynamics of retail trade industries on the U.S.-Canada border

Consumers living near the U.S.-Canada border can shift their expenditures between the two countries, so real exchange rate fluctuations can act as demand shocks to border areas' retailers. Using annual county-level data, we estimate the effects of real exchange rates on the number of establishments and their average employment in border counties for four retail industries. In three of the four industries we consider, the number of operating establishments responds either contemporaneously or with a lag of one year, so long-run changes in net entry in fact occur quickly enough to matter for short-run fluctuations.Foreign exchange rates ; Retail trade

Real Exchange Rate Fluctuations and the Dynamics of Retail Trade Industries on the U.S.-Canada Border

Consumers living near the U.S.-Canada border can shift their expenditures between the two countries, so real exchange rate fluctuations can act as demand shocks to border areas' retail trade industries. Using annual county-level data, we estimate the effects of real exchange rates on the number of establishments and their average payroll in border counties for four retail industries. In three of the four industries we consider, the number of operating establishments responds either contemporaneously or with a lag of one year to real exchange rate movements. For these industries, the response of retailers' average size is less pronounced. The rapid response of net entry is inconsistent with any model of persistent deviations from purchasing power parity that depends on retailers' costs of changing nominal prices.

Real exchange rates and retail trade on the U.S.-Canada border

Foreign exchange rates ; Retail trade

Active cleaning technique for removing contamination from optical surfaces in space

Plasma cleaning experiments were completed on hydrocarbon contaminant films, experiments were initiated to determine a satisfactory technique for depositing contaminant films, and an experiment was conducted to determine whether specimens are being thermally cleaned rather than plasma cleaned. Results of plasma cleaning experiments on hydrocarbon contaminant films showed that the optical properties of mirrors and gratings could be satisfactorily restored. Results on fused silica optical flats were inconclusive because of the insensitivity of measurement techniques to the contaminant films. White thermal control surfaces, degraded by the hydrocarbon contaminant film, could not be restored by oxygen plasma exposure. The reflectance of silvered FEP Teflon thermal control surfaces could be restored by plasma cleaning. Experiments with a silicone contaminant indicated that it could not be easily polymerized onto surfaces with ultraviolet radiation. Results of the thermal cleaning experiment showed that the polymerized hydrocarbon contaminant film could not be removed by heating in vacuum to a temperature in excess of that expected during plasma cleaning

The Texas economy: beyond the boom and bust

Economic conditions - Texas

Effect of computer practice of component gait training facts on choice of ambulation aid and gait pattern by physical therapist assistant students

Health care educational programs are challenged to provide efficient and effective instructional strategies to teach students both the foundation knowledge and problem solving skills that they need to provide quality health care services. In the present study, computer-based text passages and quizzes were used to teach physical therapist assistant (PTA) students the component facts and principles needed for the higher level skill of choosing ambulation aids and gait patterns for patients in described clinical scenarios. The research questions were (a) whether learning component gait training skills would result in better ability to choose ambulation aids and gait patterns for patients in clinical scenarios, and (b) whether practicing the component skills to achieve fluency would lead to greater problem solving performance. Periodic application probes were used to test problem solving skill. Learning component subskills did result in better problem solving ability for 7 out of 8 students, and fluency on 3 critical quizzes was positively correlated with higher application test scores. A final problem solving strategy resulted in further learning gains for 5 out of 6 students, but the strategy did not compensate for faulty factual knowledge. Overall, the findings of the study show that learning component facts and principles can lead to better problem solving skill without specific additional instruction. In fact, mastery of the factual knowledge is essential for mastery of a problem solving task. Because effective health care is dependent upon good problem solving skills, these findings suggests that learning will be more efficient if instructional materials contain contingencies to ensure that students master critical foundation skills

Online Connectivity : A Social Study of Educators’ Affinity for Teaching and Learning Using Social Media

This qualitative study investigated an online space for educators, known as #sschat, for the purpose of helping to inform and shape more formal professional learning experiences. Participants were able to engage in asynchronous and synchronous discussions related to social studies education by interacting in any of the four hashtags associated with the #sschat affinity space (i.e., #engsschat, #hsgovchat, #sschat, #worldgeochat), the #sschat Facebook page, the archived #chat sessions, and/or by contributing to the creation of the weekly #worldgeochat questions. Seven common elements of Gee’s affinity spaces conceptual framework were used to frame this study. This framework drew attention to the practices of self-directed learners who were guided by their passions related to teaching and learning. By engaging as an insider during this one-month study of #sschat, I was able to consider what was happening in this affinity space from the participants’ perspective. I collected and analyzed more than 6,000 tweets and almost 300 Facebook posts along with the websites associated with the #sschat affinity space and shared by the participants. The question that guided this study was: what could be learned from online spaces such as #sschat that can help inform and shape more formal professional development experiences. Through a deep analysis of the data, three important findings emerged that help to provide insight into the types of experiences that are likely to be valued by educators and conducive to learning. The first finding concerns how the diverse experiences and needs of the participants seemed to affect the interactions that occurred in the #sschat affinity space. The second key finding involved how the combination of social media platforms and functions, participants’ knowhow and experiences, and their practices appeared to contribute to a participatory environment that facilitated a wide range of interactions in support of social studies education. The third key finding of my study suggests that professional learning is a personal experience; educators want the ability to choose with whom they interact, the design of the space, and the manner in which they engage in these experiences. Digital technologies were leveraged by participants making it possible for them to engage in crowdsourcing, reflective thinking, and role-shifting activities. This study expands the notion of affinity spaces beyond a space for individuals to engage in activities involving their personal interests and passions. A deep analysis of the data suggests that affinity spaces may also be beneficial for professionals, such as educators who want to engage in experiences involving teaching and learning

Review of \u3ci\u3eEngaged Resistance: American Indian Art, Literature, and Film from Alcatraz to the NMAI\u3c/i\u3e by Dean Rader

This study is a wholehearted exploration of artistic and cultural production engaging the theme of American Indian resistance, perhaps going further than previous American Indian art forums in print with a thematic analysis. Rader organizes an inventory of the creative process of resistance (against extinction, misrepresentation, and debasement) by detailing in chapter 2 artistic works-including Jaune Quick-to-See Smith\u27s large painted canvases denoting maps of Indigenous-named states in the U.S.-that Rader says represent a resistance to settler society\u27s seizings and its attempted erasure of Natives while simultaneously claiming their continued presence