Vozes do ensino de estudantes em Nova York: a perseverança de uma experiência subtrativa do edTPA como exame de bacharel para a certificação inicial

This article explores how candidates’ experiences in multiple initial certification programs within a single School of Education evolved over the first three semesters of New York’s implementation of edTPA as a requirement for initial licensure. The data reviewed included primarily surveys and interviews of teaching candidates, framed by critical perspectives on accountability, teacher performativity, and constructivist theories on learning to teach. Results suggest candidates’ perceptions of program alignment and edTPA benefits improved while several challenges persisted. These included the lack of mentor teacher knowledge about the edTPA as well as disconnects between candidates’ edTPA scores and local program evaluations. Additionally, student teachers’ perceptions of a subtractive experience of the edTPA continued in spite of improved perceptions about the benefits of the exam and across all scoring levels, programs, and semesters. A discussion of these results considers the implication of policies that reify quality, compel performance management, and contribute to values conflict for candidates in the particularly unique developmental moment of learning to teach. These voices of student teachers, often underrepresented in the research on edTPA, urge a reconsideration of the policy on teacher performance assessments in terms of how such policies impact the experiences of those learning to teach.Este artículo explora cómo las experiencias de los candidatos en varios programas de certificación en de una Escuela de Educación se evolucionaron durante los primeros tres semestres de la implementación de edTPA en Nueva York como requisito para la licencia inicial. Los datos incluyeron encuestas y entrevistas a candidatos a la enseñanza, enmarcados por perspectivas críticas sobre la responsabilidad, la ejecución docente y las teorías constructivistas sobre el aprendizaje de la enseñanza. Los resultados sugieren que las percepciones de los candidatos sobre la alineación del programa y los beneficios de edTPA mejoraron mientras persistían varios desafíos, incluyendo la falta de conocimiento de los maestros mentores sobre el edTPA, así como las desconexiones entre los puntajes edTPA de los candidatos y las evaluaciones de los programas locales. Además, las percepciones de los maestros estudiantes sobre la experiencia sustractiva del edTPA continuaron a pesar de las percepciones favorables sobre los beneficios del examen y en todos los niveles de calificación, programas y semestres. Una discusión de estos resultados considera la implicación de las políticas que representan calidad, motivan la administración de rendimiento y contribuyen a los conflictos de valores para los candidatos en el momento de aprendizaje particularmente singular de aprender a enseñar. Estas voces de los profesores estudiantes urgen una reconsideración de política sobre las evaluaciones del rendimiento docente en términos de cómo estas polizas impactan las experiencias de aquellos que aprenden a enseñar.Este artigo explora como as experiências de candidatos em vários programas de certificação em uma Escola de Educação evoluíram durante os primeiros três semestres da implementação do edTPA em Nova York como requisito para o licenciamento inicial. Os dados incluíram pesquisas e entrevistas com candidatos para o ensino, enquadradas por perspectivas críticas sobre responsabilidade, desempenho docente e teorias construtivistas sobre o aprendizado do ensino. Os resultados sugerem que as percepções dos candidatos sobre o alinhamento do programa e os benefícios do edTPA melhoraram, enquanto vários desafios persistiram, incluindo a falta de conhecimento dos professores mentores no edTPA, bem como as desconexões entre os escores edTPA dos candidatos e as avaliações dos programas locais. Além disso, as percepções dos alunos sobre a experiência subtrativa da edTPA continuaram apesar das percepções favoráveis sobre os benefícios do exame e em todos os níveis, programas e semestres. Uma discussão sobre esses resultados considera o envolvimento de políticas que representam qualidade, motivam o gerenciamento de desempenho e contribuem para o valor dos conflitos para os candidatos no momento de aprendizagem particularmente singular de aprender a ensinar. Essas vozes de professores estudantis exigem uma reconsideração política das avaliações de desempenho dos professores em termos de como essas políticas afetam as experiências daqueles que aprendem a ensinar

Growing Into Inquiry: Stories of Secondary School Teachers Using Inquiry for Themselves and Their Students

This study examines cases of teacher leaders in a professional development program that employed teacher inquiry to promote student inquiry. Program documents, observations, and interviews were examined to create three cases of high school science and math teachers learning to inquire in tandem. Guided by Cochran-Smith and Lytle’s (2009) “inquiry stance,” the study shows how commitment to student inquiry comes through learning gained through teacher inquiry. While conceptual understandings of teacher and student inquiry reinforced the learning of both, the parallel development of practical skills for both inquiry processes was not observed. Such conceptual growth was neither steady nor linear and characterized by some backward movement followed by significant shifts in thinking. Growth was grounded in increased experience with the process over time that deepened the teachers’ trust in their students’ ability to create their own knowledge – an understanding of the learning process that was made more visible by the program’s requirements for teachers to evaluate student inquiry as a focus of their teacher inquiry. The study confirms the need for ongoing professional development in the more complex forms of student learning embedded in newer national standards while suggesting that approaches towards professional learning must holds similar high expectations for teachers and attention to the equally complex learning required of teachers if we truly aim to create such possibilities for student learning at higher levels

Transcriptome analysis of differentiating trypanosomes reveals the existence of multiple post-transcriptional regulons

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Trypanosome gene expression is regulated almost exclusively at the post-transcriptional level, with mRNA degradation playing a decisive role. When trypanosomes are transferred from the blood of a mammal to the midgut of a Tsetse fly, they transform to procyclic forms: gene expression is reprogrammed, changing the cell surface and switching the mode of energy metabolism. Within the blood, trypanosomes can pre-adapt for Tsetse transmission, becoming growth-arrested stumpy forms. We describe here the transitions in gene expression that occur during differentiation of <it>in-vitro </it>cultured bloodstream forms to procyclic forms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Some mRNAs showed changes within 30 min of <it>cis-</it>aconitate addition, whereas others responded 12-24 hours later. For the first 12 h after addition of <it>cis</it>-aconitate, cells accumulated at the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and showed decreases in mRNAs required for proliferation, mimicking the changes seen in stumpy forms: many mRNAs needed for ribosomal and flagellar biogenesis showed striking co-regulation. Other mRNAs encoding components of signal transduction pathways and potential regulators were specifically induced only during differentiation. Messenger RNAs encoding proteins required for individual metabolic pathways were often co-regulated.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Trypanosome genes form post-transcriptional regulons in which mRNAs with functions in particular pathways, or encoding components of protein complexes, show almost identical patterns of regulation.</p

Being in Tension: Faculty Explorations of the Meaning of Social Justice in Teacher Education

This study explores faculty perspectives of social justice in teacher education within one New York institution with a social justice focus. Grounded in the institution’s self-study process for accreditation, the researchers were a part of a team that collected data from structured interviews, including a card sort, of 42 full time teacher educators across 16 programs in the institution. Informed by sociocultural theories (Vygotsky, 1978, Wertsch, 1991), a content analysis revealed the language selected by faculty as well as their meaning-making process and describes how individuals contextualized those meanings. Findings demonstrated a range of meanings and lack of a shared understanding about social justice. Even where apparent consensus existed around particular terminology, the content analysis revealed that individual meanings were deeply contextualized within disciplines and, thereby, were quite distinct. We raise questions regarding how to use dialogue as a meaning making process, the possibilities for a range of meanings, and the significance of contextualizing social justice. The study suggests that significant tensions remain but that “being in tension” is a critical position and potentially informative to faculty who might consider using a framework that invites more diverse perspective rather than embrace a unitary meaning of the term

Repetitive elements in parasitic protozoa

A recent paper published in BMC Genomics suggests that retrotransposition may be active in the human gut parasite Entamoeba histolytica. This adds to our knowledge of the various types of repetitive elements in parasitic protists and the potential influence of such elements on pathogenicity

Navegando no terreno disputado da política e prática da formação de professores: Os autores respondem a SCALE

Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE) provided a commentary on the manuscripts in the first part of this special issue, which highlighted the benefits of edTPA and the necessity for such assessment programs to improve teacher education and strengthen teaching practices. In turn, the authors responded to the SCALE commentary. The authors’ responses raise concerns about equity, fairness, and unintended consequences of teacher performance assessments. These responses highlight the need for continued dialogue on ways to improve teacher education and strengthen the teaching profession.Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (SCALE) ofreció un comentario sobre los manuscritos en la primera parte de esta edicion especial, que destacó los beneficios de edTPA y la necesidad de dichos programas de evaluación para mejorar la formación docente y para fortalecer las prácticas docentes. A la vez, los autores respondieron al comentario SCALE. Las respuestas de los autores plantean inquietudes sobre la equidad, la rectitud y las consecuencias involuntarias de las evaluaciones del desempeño docente. Estas respuestas revelan la necesidad de un diálogo continuo sobre las formas de mejorar la formación docente y fortalecer la profesión docente.Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity Stanford (SCALE) ofereceu um comentário sobre os manuscritos na primeira parte desta edição especial, que destacou os benefícios do edTPA e a necessidade de tais programas de avaliação para melhorar a formação de professores e fortalecer práticas de ensino. Ao mesmo tempo, os autores responderam ao comentário SCALE. As respostas dos autores levantam preocupações sobre equidade, retidão e as conseqüências involuntárias das avaliações de desempenho dos professores. Essas respostas revelam a necessidade de um diálogo contínuo sobre formas de melhorar a formação de professores e fortalecer a profissão docente

The structure of BVU2987 from Bacteroides vulgatus reveals a superfamily of bacterial periplasmic proteins with possible inhibitory function.

Proteins that contain the DUF2874 domain constitute a new Pfam family PF11396. Members of this family have predominantly been identified in microbes found in the human gut and oral cavity. The crystal structure of one member of this family, BVU2987 from Bacteroides vulgatus, has been determined, revealing a β-lactamase inhibitor protein-like structure with a tandem repeat of domains. Sequence analysis and structural comparisons reveal that BVU2987 and other DUF2874 proteins are related to β-lactamase inhibitor protein, PepSY and SmpA_OmlA proteins and hence are likely to function as inhibitory proteins

Structure of a putative NTP pyrophosphohydrolase: YP_001813558.1 from Exiguobacterium sibiricum 255-15.

The crystal structure of a putative NTPase, YP_001813558.1 from Exiguobacterium sibiricum 255-15 (PF09934, DUF2166) was determined to 1.78 Å resolution. YP_001813558.1 and its homologs (dimeric dUTPases, MazG proteins and HisE-encoded phosphoribosyl ATP pyrophosphohydrolases) form a superfamily of all-α-helical NTP pyrophosphatases. In dimeric dUTPase-like proteins, a central four-helix bundle forms the active site. However, in YP_001813558.1, an unexpected intertwined swapping of two of the helices that compose the conserved helix bundle results in a `linked dimer' that has not previously been observed for this family. Interestingly, despite this novel mode of dimerization, the metal-binding site for divalent cations, such as magnesium, that are essential for NTPase activity is still conserved. Furthermore, the active-site residues that are involved in sugar binding of the NTPs are also conserved when compared with other α-helical NTPases, but those that recognize the nucleotide bases are not conserved, suggesting a different substrate specificity

Comparison of the efficacy of four drug combinations for immobilization of wild pigs

Field immobilization of native or invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is challenging. Drug combinations commonly used often result in unsatisfactory immobilization, poor recovery, and adverse side effects, leading to unsafe handling conditions for both animals and humans. We compared four chemical immobilization combinations, medetomidine–midazolam–butorphanol (MMB), butorphanol–azaperone–medetomidine (BAM™), nalbuphine–medetomidine–azaperone (NalMed-A), and tiletamine– zolazepam–xylazine (TZX), to determine which drug combinations might provide better chemical immobilization of wild pigs. We achieved adequate immobilization with no post-recovery morbidity withMMB. Adequate immobilization was achieved with BAM™; however, we observed post-recovery morbidity. Both MMB and BAM™ produced more optimal results relative to body temperature, recovery, and post-recovery morbidity and mortality compared to TZX. Adequate immobilization was not achieved with NalMed-A. Of the four drug combinations examined, we conclude that MMB performed most optimally for immobilization and recovery of wild pigs