An Investigation of Teacher Librarians\u27 Use of Interactive Whiteboard Technology for Literacy Instruction

Although school systems have made investments in technology with the intention of raising student scores on state and national tests, improvements in student achievement have not always followed. The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher librarians\u27 use of interactive whiteboards to improve student literacy. This qualitative case study was guided by the theory of social constructivism, wherein individuals learn through interaction with peers and knowledgeable others. The research questions were focused on how teacher librarians integrated multi-literacies and technological skills into pedagogical goals. Data were collected from a 4-member focus group interview, a questionnaire delivered to a subset of 3 teacher librarians, and public documents of the school system. All data were color-coded and analyzed for emergent common themes. The findings indicated that although the teacher librarians used interactive whiteboard technology to teach multiple literacies and technological skills to students and fellow teachers, 2 of the 4 participants did not use all of the interactive whiteboard tools. Based upon the findings, a professional development project was designed to improve educators\u27 technological and multi-literacies skills in the school system. Recommendations include creating a repository of technology rich lesson plans, and expanding collaboration among educators. Increasing multi-literacies and technological skills may lead to positive social change through the enhancement of students\u27 literacy and technology skills at school and for future employment

The association of affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of hostility with telomere length, a marker of biological aging

Variability within species in the rate of biological aging and noticeable differences in susceptibility to diseases of aging suggest ecological factors, such as trait characteristics, may contribute to individual vulnerability. In this regard, some evidence shows a relationship between hostile tendencies and risk for the most prevalent disease of aging, coronary heart disease (CHD). One plausible pathway through which hostility may increase risk for such age-related disease is through premature cellular aging. Recent evidence suggests that the length of telomeres in cells provides a biomarker of biological aging that predicts all-cause mortality and coronary disease morbidity and mortality. The present study examined associations of hostile temperaments with telomere length in a sample of African American (n = 35) and European American (n = 160) men (aged 40-70 years) at increased risk for CHD by virtue of their hypertensive status. In addition, the moderation of this association by race and age was also explored. Results showed no significant associations of hostile affects, behaviors, or cognitions, as measured by the Cook-Medley Hostility (CMH) scale and the Speilberger State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), and telomere length. Although race did not moderate any associations between hostility and telomere length, there was a trend towards significant interactions of age with hostile cognitions (β = .87, p = .06), CMH hostile affect (β = .91, p = .057), and STAXI anger-in (β = 1.01, p = .07) in the prediction of telomere length, suggesting an inverse association of hostility with telomere length among younger subjects (40's), which may contribute to increased risk for diseases of aging in this age group. In contrast, older subjects (60's) showed a positive association of hostility with telomere length. In addition, across the whole sample, there was a significant positive association of years of education with telomere length (r = .15, p < .05). This association was independent of a number of demographic and health covariates among European Americans, but not African Americans, suggesting that among European American males with hypertension, those with fewer years of education show greater cellular aging. In contrast, hostility may be protective among older hypertensives

Screening for childhood adversity: the what and when of identifying individuals at risk for lifespan health disparities.

Existing research on childhood adversity and health risk across the lifespan lacks specificity regarding which types of exposures to assess and when. The purpose of this study was to contribute to an empirically-supported framework to guide practitioners interested in identifying youth who may be at greatest risk for a lifelong trajectory of health disparities. We also sought to identify the point in childhood at which screening for adversity exposure would capture the largest group of at risk individuals for triage to prevention and intervention services. Participants (n = 4036) collected as part of the Midlife in the United States study reported their medical status and history including physical (cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, cancer) and mental health (depression, substance use problems, sleep problems). Participants indicated whether they were exposed to 7 adversities at any point in childhood and their age of exposure to 19 additional lifetime adversities before the age of 18. Parent drug abuse, dropping out or failing out of school, being fired from a job, and sexual assault during childhood exhibited the largest effect sizes on health in adulthood, which were comparable to the effects of childhood maltreatment. Childhood adversity screening in early adolescence may identify the largest proportion of youth at risk for negative health trajectories. The results of this descriptive analysis provide an empirical framework to guide screening for childhood adversity in pediatric populations. We discuss the implications of these observations in the context of prevention science and practice

Inflammation and Oxidative Damage During Exam Stress

Oxidative stress and resulting oxidative damage at the cellular level is thought to be a major factor in the aging process. Associated cellular dysfunction or loss of elasticity as a result of oxidative stress may increase the risk for age related diseases like cancer and atherosclerosis. Psychological stress may be influential in this process through altered behaviors and/or changes in biological systems that then affect oxidative stress. One source of oxidative stress is inflammation and inflammatory cells such as the neutrophil, which produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Recent research suggests that stress may increase inflammation. These increases in inflammation during stress may lead to elevations in oxidative stress, which may be a pathway through which psychological stress increases risk for disease and possibly accelerates aging. To date, no study has examined the potential relationship between inflammation and oxidative stress during times of psychological stress. The present study investigates the interrelationships among stress, neutrophil activity, and oxidative damage, controlling for health behaviors, in a group of 18 healthy professional students taking exams. This study found increases in neutrophil activity during exams when compared to a month after the exam. However, oxidative damage did not increase during exams, and changes in alcohol consumption may partially account for this finding. Interestingly, oxidative damage was found to be highly correlated with neutrophil activity during exams after controlling for demographic and health behaviors. The implication and limitations of these findings are discussed

Historique des interventions du gouvernement du Québec dans le domaine de la main-d'oeuvre: une politique en panne

L'objet de cette étude est de mettre en lumière l'évolution historique des interventions du gouvernement du Québec dans le domaine de la main-d'oeuvre à partir du début du XXe siècle. La démarche historique permet d'une part de dégager la rationalité économique de ces interventions et d'autre part d'offrir des explications à l'avortement des multiples tentatives du gouvernement du Québec de se doter d'une politique active du marché du travail.Since the beginning of the twentieth century, and under the pressure of the fluctuating economic situation, the Quebec Government has gradually adopted a series of measures and created several institutions which are directly associated to the labour market or manpower policy. Furthermore, since the beginning of the 1960s, different Quebec governments have manifested their intent to implement a comprehensive labour market policy, specifically aimed towards Quebec's needs.However, all attempts made at achieving such a policy have falled. Belanger mentions that the Manpower and Income Security Department acknowledged, before the Beaudry Commission in 1985, having renounced all hopes of publishing a manpower policy, and would restrict its program of action to a small number of specific objectives. Sexton has reached the same conclusion. This paper traces the evolution of these labour market measures since the beginning of the century. It also looks at the economic rationality of the Quebec government's interventions and at the crucial disparities between government discourse and action in the labour market. This paper also tries to explain the repeated fallure of projects aimed at implementing a comprehensive labour market policy for Quebec.The historical aspect shows that the Quebec government's action was motivated by three main objectives: to protect manpower from exploitation; to protect labour ethics; and to protect Quebec's jurisdiction within its competence, and not trying to improve labour market activities. This is more like a defensive rather than pro-active approach. On the other hand, from 1960 onwards, the several policy documents issued from either public administration or commissions of inquiry suggest that the Quebec legislator adopts an active labour market policy. These recommendations have always remained unheard. The governments which succeeded Lesage's Government in the 1960's have not been able to propose their orientations on the subject neither to the population nor to their economic partners, as was the case in some other Canadian provinces.Various economic and political causes can explain this chronic fallure, among which two appear particularly important:- Firstly, all orientation documents issued from the Quebec public administration maintain, that an active labour market policy must be aimed at a maximal exploitation of human resources. However, neither Quebec nor the other Canadian governments have committed themselves to the development of an economic strategy aimed at the pursuit of full employment. Besides, beginning in the 1940s Quebec, together with the other provincial governments and municipalities, has agreed to let the federal government be responsible for employment policies. As a result, Quebec's labour market has experienced a lack of common policy orientations as well as a competition between federal and provincial governments. The financial capacity and the exclusive responsibility of the federal government toward employment and unemployment insurance have proved the predominance of the federalstrategies, at the expense of constant political conflicts. Quebec Government gradually confined itself to defensive actions in order to protect its constitutional authority. The lack of priority towards full employment and the competition between federal and provincial governments appear to be the main causes for the government's inability to implement a comprehensive labour market policy. The same applies to the federal government.- Secondly, following the Second World War, the choice made by the Canadian government to focus on income security programs rather than on employment stabilization as part of a strategy to stabilize the economy and the division of responsibilities between the federal and provincial governments, as far as unemployment insurance and welfare are concerned, contributed to the division of labour oriented interventions according to these two clienteles. From 1970 onwards, chronic unemployment affects the financing of income security programs and forces the Quebec Government to develop a labour policy centered mainly on welfare. This resulted in the recent reform of welfare. It thus appears that the disparity between government discourse and action on labour market policy will not disappear without a reappraisal of both the economic and political aspects of governement action

Biomarkers of aging associated with past treatments in breast cancer survivors.

Radiation and chemotherapy are effective treatments for cancer, but are also toxic to healthy cells. Little is known about whether prior exposure to these treatments is related to markers of cellular aging years later in breast cancer survivors. We examined whether past exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment was associated with DNA damage, telomerase activity, and telomere length 3-6 years after completion of primary treatments in breast cancer survivors (stage 0-IIIA breast cancer at diagnosis). We also examined the relationship of these cellular aging markers with plasma levels of Interleukin (IL)-6, soluble TNF-receptor-II (sTNF-RII), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Ninety-four women (36.4-69.5 years; 80% white) were evaluated. Analyses adjusting for age, race, BMI, and years from last treatment found that women who had prior exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation compared to women who had previously received surgery alone were more likely to have higher levels of DNA damage (P = .02) and lower telomerase activity (P = .02), but did not have differences in telomere length. More DNA damage and lower telomerase were each associated with higher levels of sTNF-RII (P's &lt; .05). We found that exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation 3-6 years prior was associated with markers of cellular aging, including higher DNA damage and lower telomerase activity, in post-treatment breast cancer survivors. Furthermore, these measures were associated with elevated inflammatory activation, as indexed by sTNF-RII. Given that these differences were observed many years after the treatment, the findings suggest a long lasting effect of chemotherapy and/or radiation exposure