Effect of cholinergic deafferentation of prefrontal cortex on working memory for familiar and novel odors

The role of acetylcholine in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in working memory was investigated in aged rats. Subjects with cholinergic lesions of the prelimbic portion of the mPFC (pACh-lx) or a sham lesion of the same region were trained on an odor delayed non-match to sample paradigm. The effects of prefrontal cholinergic depletion and aging were assessed in task variations that manipulated mnemonic demand and stimulus novelty. pACh-lx animals were impaired relative to sham-lx animals at memory for familiar stimuli over delays. This global impairment was not dependent on the length of the delay, suggesting that aged pACh-lx animals were impaired at a non-mnemonic component of the working memory task. Aged animals\u27 accuracy was also impaired during sessions with novel sample stimuli, indicating a novel encoding impairment due to age-related cholinergic depletion in the entorhinal cortex

Student and Instructor Experiences with Types of Teaching and Learning in a Computer Course

Research has shown that active classroom engagement increases the learning performance of students in higher education (Cross, 2000; Reese, 2013). This study sought to examine the experiences of students and instructor in a computer applications course in which the pedagogy was changed to encourage additional interaction among students and between students and the instructor. The goal of the study was to generate useful, practical knowledge (Reason & Bradbury, 2001) to help the instructor better understand her pedagogy with the intention of improving both her teaching practice and student learning outcomes, as well as to contribute to related literature in adult education, collaborative learning, and research on effective pedagogies in higher education. Peters and Armstrong’s (1998) typology of teaching and learning served as the framework for introduction of two additional types of pedagogies (discussion groups and collaborative learning) into a course traditionally taught utilizing predominately only one type of pedagogy (lecture). Students were interviewed immediately after the course ended and asked to describe their experiences in the course. Results showed that what stood out for students were the positive learning atmosphere, time spent getting to know one another, increased interactions among students and between students and the instructor, attention to process, and awareness of applications of course-related knowledge and skills to work environments. Instructor notes and observations were used as additional data sources to capture her experiences. She reported that she grew as an instructor and a person by forging ahead into new territory, despite anxieties, and practiced new teaching and learning types with her students. Because of the experience, she reported being more confident and a better instructor and facilitator of her own and others’ learning. Results led to the incorporation of discussion groups and collaborative learning into the instructor’s course in spreadsheet applications. Implications for future research were identified, including the need to replicate this study in similar content areas in other higher education settings

Scalable Methods for Electronic Excitations and Optical Responses of Nanstructures: Mathematics to Algorithms to Observables

This multi-investigator project was concerned with the development and application of new methods and computer codes that would allow realistic modeling of nanosystems. Carter's part in this team effort involved two method/algorithm/code development projects during the first 14 months of this grant. Carter's group has been advancing theory and applications of the orbital-free density functional theory (OF-DFT), the only DFT method that exhibits linear scaling for metals. Such a method offers the possibility of simulating large numbers of atoms with quantum mechanics, such that properties of metallic nanostructures (e.g. nanowires of realistic dimensions) could be investigated. In addition, her group has been developing and applying an embedded correlated wavefunction theory for treating localized excited states in condensed matter (including metals). The application of interest here is spin manipulation at the nanoscale, i.e., spintronics, in which local electron excitations interact with the surrounding material. Her embedded correlation method is ideal for studying such problems

A Project-Based Literature Review of Girls in STEM Day: A Day-Long STEM Event for Middle School Girls

Research specifically targeted at youth participation in STEM highlights the importance of community engagements outside of school to bolster interest in STEM. Representation of women in STEM and encouragement of girls’ participation and interest in STEM fields parallels the importance of designing and implementing curriculums that enhance middle school-aged girls’ participation in STEM fields. The Girls in STEM Day program hosted by UNLV Scientista Foundation is designed to encourage middle school girls of color from the Clark County School District to find interest in STEM. Interactive activities and framework analysis of the program provides prospective success towards increasing interest and participation in STEM. Evaluation of this program and activities will provide further evidence for curriculum development to triangulate girls’ experiences and perceptions of STEM. The authors of this study expect to contribute specific examples indicating middle school girls’ interests in STEM-based on experiences in a day-long STEM event

An Intelligent Debugging Tutor For Novice Computer Science Students

Debugging is a necessary aspect of computer science that can be difficult for novices and experienced programmers alike. This skill is mainly self-taught and is generally gained through trial and error, perhaps with some assistance from a professor or other expert figure. Novices encountering their first software defects may have few avenues open to them depending on the environment in which they are learning to program. The evident problem here is that the potential for a student to become stuck, frustrated, and/or losing confidence in their ability to pursue computer science is great. For a student to be successful when working professionally or progressing through academia they need to be able to function independently; trusting their own knowledge on par or above that of others so that their productivity does not rely on the knowledge of someone else. In order to solve this problem an Intelligent Tutoring System for teaching debugging skills to the novice utilizing Case Based Reasoning, Static Program Slicing, and the student\u27s preferred learning style was proposed. Case acquisition and automatic Exercise Generation were also explored. The system built for this research program was evaluated using novice students at the College and High School levels. Results of this evaluation produced statistically significant results at the p\u3c.05 and p\u3c.01 levels, with generated exercises exhibiting significance at the p\u3c.01 level. These results prove that the methodology chosen is a valid approach for the problem described, that the system does in fact teach students how to debug programs, and that the system is capable of successfully generating exercises on the fly

Pirate Maps, Tattoos, and Flus: Using a Problem-based Format to Teach Information Literacy Skills

This workshop will introduce attendees to the basics of problem-based learning (PBL). Participants will have the opportunity to create a lesson plan for a PBL session while working in a PBL environment. The workshop will focus on creating learning objectives, creating PBL prompts, facilitating discussion, and leading a de-briefing session. PBL activities complement information literacy sessions because they ask the student to actively demonstrate competencies, and allow the instructor to act as a guide on the side

How HELP Provided the Pathway to become Age-Friendly

In assessing how the 4Ms framework applies to the Hospital Elder Life Program, we were able to target specific ways to deliver more Age-Friendly care to those enrolled in the program