Helping America's Dual Language Learners Succeed: A Research-based Agenda for Action

In the fall of 2014, the Heising-Simons and McKnight Foundations provided support for a National Research Summit on the Early Care and Education of Dual Language Learners (DLLs) in Washington, DC. The goal of the two day summit was to engage and extend the established knowledge base accrued by the Center for Early Care and Educational Research Dual Language Learners (CECER-DLL), while simultaneously informing the future potential efforts by the Heising-Simons and McKnight Foundations specific to the early care and education of dual language learners. Day two centered on the presentation of five McKnight-commissioned papers, the topics of which included: Research Based Models and Best Practices for DLLs across PreK - 3rd gradePerspectives on Assessment of DLLs Development & Learning, PreK - 3Human Resource Development and Support for Those Serving DLLsThe Critical Role of Leaderships in Programs Designed for DLLs, PreK - 3Policy Advances & Levers Related to DLLs in PreK - 3rd gradeThe report attempts to provide a short summary and synthesis of the topics covered in these papers and the discussion generated at the National Summit on Early Care and Education of Dual Language Learners. In addition, a set of recommendations are presented for each topic with regard to the implications drawn from these synthesis and of particular relevance to the supporting foundations' future investment considerations related to DLLs

Helping Struggling Students Develop Skills for Academic Success: An Academic Library and Student Services Collaboration

In the fall of 2018, two Touro University California (TUC) librarians began a collaboration with Academic Support Services to teach a library session in their 1-unit Pathways course offered each semester. This course is designed to help students develop skills for academic success, including time and stress management, professional communication, and study strategies. All students are welcome to enroll, but most Pathways students are identified by their program as needing additional support and referred to the course. Based on this, Academic Support determined a library session would help students improve their study and research skills, and the librarians agreed

Formulation and analysis of a Schur complement method for fluid-structure interaction

This work presents a strongly coupled partitioned method for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems based on a monolithic formulation of the system which employs a Lagrange multiplier. We prove that both the semi-discrete and fully discrete formulations are well-posed. To derive a partitioned scheme, a Schur complement equation, which implicitly expresses the Lagrange multiplier and the fluid pressure in terms of the fluid velocity and structural displacement, is constructed based on the monolithic FSI system. Solving the Schur complement system at each time step allows for the decoupling of the fluid and structure subproblems, making the method non-iterative between subdomains. We investigate bounds for the condition number of the Schur complement matrix and present initial numerical results to demonstrate the performance of our approach, which attains the expected convergence rates.Comment: 27 pages, 4 figure

Explicit synchronous partitioned scheme for coupled reduced order models based on composite reduced bases

This paper formulates, analyzes, and demonstrates numerically a method for the partitioned solution of coupled interface problems involving combinations of projection-based reduced order models (ROM) and/or full order methods (FOMs). The method builds on the partitioned scheme developed in [1], which starts from a well-posed formulation of the coupled interface problem and uses its dual Schur complement to obtain an approximation of the interface flux. Explicit time integration of this problem decouples its subdomain equations and enables their independent solution on each subdomain. Extension of this partitioned scheme to coupled ROM-ROM or ROM-FOM problems required formulations with non-singular Schur complements. To obtain these problems, we project a well-posed coupled FOM-FOM problem onto a composite reduced basis comprising separate sets of basis vectors for the interface and interior variables, and use the interface reduced basis as a Lagrange multiplier. Our analysis confirms that the resulting coupled ROM-ROM and ROM-FOM problems have provably non-singular Schur complements, independent of the mesh size and the reduced basis size. In the ROM-FOM case, analysis shows that one can also use the interface FOM space as a Lagrange multiplier. We illustrate the theoretical and computational properties of the partitioned scheme through reproductive and predictive tests for a model advection-diffusion transmission problem

Examining teacher effectiveness through value-added scores and observed teaching practices

Value-added assessment is designed to measure teacher contributions to student achievement in order to promote effective teaching (Battelle for Kids, 2011b; Darling-Hammond et al., 2012; Lee, 2011). When value-added assessment is used, research indicates that in some cases effective teaching is promoted, but in other cases it is not (Amrein-Beardsley & Collins, 2012; Darling-Hammond et al., 2012; Betebenner et al., 2012; McCaffrey & Hamilton, 2007; Quattrochi & Chapman, 2010). One reason that effective teaching may not be promoted is value-added models are not specifically designed to be diagnostic tools of effective teaching (Betebenner et al., 2012; Darling-Hammond, et al., 2012; Goe, 2008; RAND Corporation, 2004). Empirical evidence about which specific teaching practices improve student learning is lacking and additional research is needed (Goe, 2008; RAND Corporation, 2004; Stronge, Ward, & Grant, 2011).The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between value-added scores for elementary, junior high, and high school teachers of English/language arts, reading, and/or math in a large suburban Oklahoma public school district and administrators’ ratings of their specific teaching practices as measured by the Tulsa Model for Observation and Evaluation. There were small, positive correlations that were statistically significant for all teachers between overall value-added scores and overall evaluation scores on the Tulsa Model rubric for both school years. This result indicates that higher ratings of effective teaching were slightly associated with higher overall value-added scores and increased student achievement levels for this sample. Only two of the Tulsa Model rubric domains – classroom management and instructional effectiveness – had statistically significant relationships with value-added scores. This is attributed to the student-focused nature of these domains in contrast to the professional growth, interpersonal skills, and leadership domains. The specific teaching practices of effective teachers in the areas of Preparation, Discipline, Modeling, Monitoring, and Adjusts Based Upon Monitoring were linked to increased value-added scores

Understanding Household Behavioral Risk Factors for Diarrheal Disease in Dar es Salaam: A Photovoice Community Assessment

Whereas Tanzania has seen considerable improvements in water and sanitation infrastructure over the past 20 years, the country still faces high rates of childhood morbidity from diarrheal diseases. This study utilized a qualitative, cross-sectional, modified Photovoice method to capture daily activities of Dar es Salaam mothers. A total of 127 photographs from 13 households were examined, and 13 interviews were conducted with household mothers. The photographs and interviews revealed insufficient hand washing procedures, unsafe disposal of wastewater, uncovered household drinking water containers, a lack of water treatment prior to consumption, and inappropriate toilets for use by small children. The interviews revealed that mothers were aware and knowledgeable of the risks of certain household practices and understood safer alternatives, yet were restricted by the perceived impracticality and financial constraints to make changes. The results draw attention to the real economic and behavioral challenges faced in reducing the spread of disease

Estado emocional y psicológico post covid -19 en niños y adolescentes

The imposition of social distancing, the interruption of usual school and social activities, together with uncertainty about the future, have generated notable effects on their overall well-being, the presence of COVID-19 represented a public health emergency, due to the incidence and mortality it induces in the population, together with significant economic and psychosocial repercussions. Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable in this context. Confinement is linked to an increase in psychosocial factors, such as the alteration of healthy habits, intrafamily violence and the abuse of new technologies. The objective of this study was to determine which are the changes due to psychological disorders and emotions whose methodology was documentary, bibliographic of descriptive type, within the most relevant we praise a high prevalence both in Peru (80%) and in Paraguay (72%), a great part of Latin America experienced changes in the emotional and psychological part as it can be classified by regions, being depression, hyperactivity. It affected both men and women in average ages of 7 to 14 years, in the psychological part we have anxiety, stress and post-traumatic stress disorder due to the loss of family and friends, We conclude by expressing that understanding the emotional and psychological state of children and adolescents after COVID-19 is essential for their overall well-being. The pandemic has left profound effects on their mental health, which are manifested in various ways. Anxiety, depression and fear are common in this age group, due to the uncertainty surrounding health, education and social interactions.La imposición del distanciamiento social, la interrupción de las actividades escolares y sociales habituales, junto con la incertidumbre acerca del porvenir, han generado efectos notables en su bienestar global, la presencia de COVID-19 representaba una urgencia en la salud pública, por la incidencia y mortalidad que induce en la población, junto con repercusiones económicas y psicosociales significativas. Los niños y adolescentes son particularmente vulnerables en este contexto. El confinamiento está vinculado al aumento de factores psicosociales, como la alteración de hábitos saludables, la violencia intrafamiliar y el abuso de nuevas tecnologías. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar cuáles son los cambios por los trastornos psicológicos y emociones cuya metodología era documental, bibliográfico de tipo descriptivo, dentro los halagamos más relevantes una alta prevalencia tanto en Perú (80%) como en Paraguay (72%), gran parte de Latinoamérica experimento cambios en la parte emocional y psicológica como se lo puede clasificar por regiones, siendo la depresión, la hiperactividad. Afectó tanto hombres como mujeres en edades promedios de 7 a 14 años, en la parte psicológica tenemos ansiedad, estrés y trastorno de estrés postraumático debido a la perdida de familiares y amigos, Se concluye expresando que comprender el estado emocional y psicológico de los niños y adolescentes tras el COVID-19 es imprescindible para su bienestar integral. La pandemia ha dejado profundas secuelas en su salud mental, que se manifiestan de diversas maneras. La ansiedad, la depresión y el miedo son frecuentes en este grupo etario, debido a la incertidumbre que rodea a la salud, la educación y las interacciones sociales

Research Development Webinar Series: A Collaboration Amongst Touro College and University System Libraries

This collaboration amongst Touro College and University System (TCUS) libraries began as an initiative of the College Research Council to increase TCUS\u27s research footprint. Specifically, faculty and students needed to develop greater research knowledge and skills. The Library Advisory Committee, one of four subcommittees of the Research Council, recognized the wealth of research taught across the system by individual libraries, and saw this as an opportunity for collaboration

Guaranteed Income and Financial Treatment (G.I.F.T.): A 12-Month, Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare the Effectiveness of Monthly Unconditional Cash Transfers to Treatment as Usual in Reducing Financial Toxicity in People With Cancer Who Have Low Incomes

Cancer-related financial hardship (i.e., financial toxicity) has been associated with anxiety and depression, greater pain and symptom burden, treatment nonadherence, and mortality. Out-of-pocket healthcare costs and lost income are primary drivers of financial toxicity, however, income loss is a pronounced risk factor for cancer patients with low incomes. There has been little progress in developing an income intervention to alleviate financial toxicity cancer patients with low incomes. Unconditional cash transfers (UCT), or guaranteed income, have produced positive health effects in experiments with general low-income populations, but have not yet been evaluated in people with cancer. The Guaranteed Income and Financial Treatment (GIFT) Trial will use a two-arm randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of a 12-month UCT intervention providing $1000/month to treatment as usual on financial toxicity, health-related quality of life and treatment adherence in people with cancer who have low-incomes. The study will recruit 250 Medicaid beneficiaries with advanced cancer from two comprehensive cancer centers in Philadelphia, obtain informed consent, and randomize patients to one of two conditions: (1)$1,000/month UCT or (2) treatment as usual. Both arms will receive information on financial toxicity and the contact information for their hospital social worker or financial advocate upon enrollment. Participants will complete online surveys at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from enrollment to collect patient-reported data on primary (i.e., financial toxicity, health-related quality of life, and treatment adherence) and secondary outcomes (i.e., anxiety, depression, food insecurity, housing stability). Social security records will be used to explore the effect on mortality at 2, 3, and 5 years post-enrollment. Linear mixed-models will be used to analyze all primary and secondary continuous outcomes over time and general estimating equations with a logit link and binary distribution for all binary outcomes over time. Differences between treatment and control groups and treatment effects will be determined using models that control for age, gender, race, baseline food security, baseline housing stability, and baseline ECOG. Findings from this study will have significant implications for the development and implementation of programs and policies that address the financial burden of cancer and other serious illnesses