Investigating an Approach to Integrating Computational Thinking into an Undergraduate Calculus Course

Computational thinking can be conceptualized as patterns of thinking which align with certain fundamental computer science processes. While this algorithmic way of thinking has always been integral to computer science, it has recently gained momentum as a valuable approach to problem solving in a wide variety of contexts. Education researchers highlight the potential of computational thinking to transform, enrich, and revitalize teaching and learning experiences, by providing a systematic framework for analysis and enabling powerful computational tools to be incorporated to further enhance problem-solving activities. Research suggests that in order to maximize the affordances of computational thinking, it should be integrated into all subjects, from primary to tertiary, in meaningful and subject-specific ways. However, due to persistent theoretical and practical barriers, comprehensive integration of computational thinking into school and university curricula has not yet been achieved. One particularly strong obstacle identified in the literature is the lack of practical resources detailing how to effectively incorporate computational thinking into subjects beyond computer science. Using a case study research design with over 1000 participants, my project investigated an approach to integrating computational thinking into a first-year calculus course at McMaster University. Students engaged in computational thinking by working on computer coding activities developed to complement the mathematical content taught in the course. Following each set of activities, students responded to prompts designed to determine: (1) how students’ conceptual understanding of calculus concepts changes in response to working on problem-solving and mathematical modelling activities which incorporate computational thinking, and (2) how students’ learning experiences are transformed when they explore calculus concepts, ideas and techniques using computational tools and models. A qualitative content analysis of these responses revealed that exploring calculus concepts with code modified students’ perceptions of mathematics, enhanced their mathematical learning experiences, and offered unique coding affordances. Further analyzing the data using a literacy framework helped situate the results of this study within the broader context of a computational literacy. This research augments the ongoing project, Computational Thinking in Mathematics Education, by providing insights and rich feedback on an approach to designing and integrating coding activities into a tertiary mathematics curriculum

Promoting posttraumatic growth among OIF/OEF veterans : a theoretical exploration of the challenges of reintegration

Approximately 2.2 million men and women have been deployed in service of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And veterans are returning to their communities in large numbers, many of them with a range of visible and invisible medical and psychological injuries and needs (Tanielian and Jaycox, 2008; Hoge et al., 2004; Hoge, Auchterloni, and Milliken, 2006). The process of veterans re-entering civilian society following a deployment is known as reintegration (Demers, 2011). While the mental health issues and needs of returning OIF/OEF veterans have been widely studied (Tanielian and Jaycox, 2008) their experiences and struggles related to reintegration remain largely unexplored by researchers (Institute of Medicine; 2010; Doyle and Peterson. 2005). In this paper I explore the reintegration challenges that veterans face from both a micro and a macro perspective. I first use trauma theories as a way to understand the intrapersonal challenges that veterans may face during reintegration. I then use the framework of the military-civilian cultural gap to explore some of the macro level challenges facing OIF/OEF veterans as they reintegrate into their larger civilian communities. Finally, I focus on posttraumatic growth as a potential outcome of both combat-related trauma and reintegration. I present Tedeschi\u27s (2011) model for facilitating posttraumatic growth on a micro-level through individual therapy and discuss ways in which that model may be enacted within the broader civilian community to construct a more conducive civilian arena for posttraumatic growth

Species-Specific Effects of Passive Warming in an Antarctic Moss System

Polar systems are experiencing rapid climate change and the high sensitivity of these Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems make them especially vulnerable to accelerated ecological transformation. In Antarctica, warming results in a mosaic of ice-free terrestrial habitats dominated by a diverse assemblage of cryptogamic plants (i.e. mosses and lichens). Although these plants provide key habitat for a wide array of microorganisms and invertebrates, we have little understanding of the interaction between trophic levels in this terrestrial ecosystem and whether there are functional effects of plant species on higher trophic levels that may alter with warming. Here, we used open top chambers on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, to examine the effects of passive warming and moss species on the abiotic environment and ultimately on higher trophic levels. For the dominant mosses, Polytrichastrum alpinum and Sanionia georgicouncinata, we found species-specific effects on the abiotic environment, including moss canopy temperature and soil moisture. In addition, we found distinct shifts in sexual expression in P. alpinum plants under warming compared to mosses without warming, and invertebrate communities in this moss species were strongly correlated with plant reproduction. Mosses under warming had substantially larger total invertebrate communities, and some invertebrate taxa were influenced differentially by moss species. However, warmed moss plants showed lower fungal biomass than control moss plants, and fungal biomass differed between moss species. Our results indicate that continued warming may impact the reproductive output of Antarctic moss species, potentially altering terrestrial ecosystems dynamics from the bottom up. Understanding these effects requires clarifying the foundational, mechanistic role that individual plant species play in mediating complex interactions in Antarctica\u27s terrestrial food webs

Observations of Arp 220 using Herschel-SPIRE: An Unprecedented View of the Molecular Gas in an Extreme Star Formation Environment

We present Herschel SPIRE-FTS observations of Arp~220, a nearby ULIRG. The FTS continuously covers 190 -- 670 microns, providing a good measurement of the continuum and detection of several molecular and atomic species. We detect luminous CO (J = 4-3 to 13-12) and water ladders with comparable total luminosity; very high-J HCN absorption; OH+, H2O+, and HF in absorption; and CI and NII. Modeling of the continuum yields warm dust, with T = 66 K, and an unusually large optical depth of ~5 at 100 microns. Non-LTE modeling of the CO shows two temperature components: cold molecular gas at T ~ 50 K and warm molecular gas at T ~1350 K. The mass of the warm gas is 10% of the cold gas, but dominates the luminosity of the CO ladder. The temperature of the warm gas is in excellent agreement with H2 rotational lines. At 1350 K, H2 dominates the cooling (~20 L_sun/M_sun) in the ISM compared to CO (~0.4 L_sun/M_sun). We found that only a non-ionizing source such as the mechanical energy from supernovae and stellar winds can excite the warm gas and satisfy the energy budget of ~20 L_sun/M_sun. We detect a massive molecular outflow in Arp 220 from the analysis of strong P-Cygni line profiles observed in OH+, H2O+, and H2O. The outflow has a mass > 10^{7} M_sun and is bound to the nuclei with velocity < 250 km/s. The large column densities observed for these molecular ions strongly favor the existence of an X-ray luminous AGN (10^{44} ergs/s) in Arp 220.Comment: Accepted in ApJ on September 1, 201

Expansion of a subset of CD14(high)CD16(neg)CCR2(low/neg) monocytes functionally similar to myeloid-derived suppressor cells during SIV and HIV infection

Monocytes have been categorized in three main subpopulations based on CD14 and CD16 surface expression. Classical monocytes express the CD14(++)CD16(-) CCR2(+) phenotype and migrate to inflammatory sites by quickly responding to CCL2 signaling. Here, we identified and characterized the expansion of a novel monocyte subset during HIV and SIV infection, which were undistinguishable from classical monocytes, based on CD14 and CD16 expression, but expressed significantly lower surface CCR2. Transcriptome analysis of sorted cells demonstrated that the CCR2(low/neg) cells are a distinct subpopulation and express lower levels of inflammatory cytokines and activation markers than their CCR2(high) counterparts. They exhibited impaired phagocytosis and greatly diminished chemotaxis in response to CCL2 and CCL7. In addition, these monocytes are refractory to SIV infection and suppress CD8(+) T cell proliferation in vitro. These cells express higher levels of STAT3 and NOS2, suggesting a phenotype similar to monocytic myeloid-derived cells, which suppress expansion of CD8(+) T cells in vivo. They may reflect an antiproliferative response against the extreme immune activation observed during HIV and SIV infections. In addition, they may suppress antiviral responses and thus, have a role in AIDS pathogenesis. Antiretroviral therapy in infected macaque and human subjects caused this population to decline, suggesting that this atypical phenotype is linked to viral replication. J. Leukoc. Biol. 91: 803-816; 2012.National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health [MH070306, NS055648, MH085554]Ministry of Health [914/BRA/3014-UNESCO/Kallas]Ministry of HealthSao Paulo City Health Department [2004-0.168.922-7/Kallas]Sao Paulo City Health DepartmentFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo [04/15856-9/Kallas]Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)Brazilian Ministry of EducationBrazilian Ministry of EducationBrazilian Program for STD and AIDSBrazilian Program for STD and AID

Survival of Migrating Salmon Smolts in Large Rivers With and Without Dams

The mortality of salmon smolts during their migration out of freshwater and into the ocean has been difficult to measure. In the Columbia River, which has an extensive network of hydroelectric dams, the decline in abundance of adult salmon returning from the ocean since the late 1970s has been ascribed in large measure to the presence of the dams, although the completion of the hydropower system occurred at the same time as large-scale shifts in ocean climate, as measured by climate indices such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. We measured the survival of salmon smolts during their migration to sea using elements of the large-scale acoustic telemetry system, the Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking (POST) array. Survival measurements using acoustic tags were comparable to those obtained independently using the Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag system, which is operational at Columbia and Snake River dams. Because the technology underlying the POST array works in both freshwater and the ocean, it is therefore possible to extend the measurement of survival to large rivers lacking dams, such as the Fraser, and to also extend the measurement of survival to the lower Columbia River and estuary, where there are no dams. Of particular note, survival during the downstream migration of at least some endangered Columbia and Snake River Chinook and steelhead stocks appears to be as high or higher than that of the same species migrating out of the Fraser River in Canada, which lacks dams. Equally surprising, smolt survival during migration through the hydrosystem, when scaled by either the time or distance migrated, is higher than in the lower Columbia River and estuary where dams are absent. Our results raise important questions regarding the factors that are preventing the recovery of salmon stocks in the Columbia and the future health of stocks in the Fraser River

Crop Updates 2001 - Lupins

This session covers twenty six papers from different authors: INTRODUCTION, 1. Introduction, Dr Mark Sweetingham LUPIN RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT, Agriculture Western Australia VARIETIES 2. Lupin variety performance: Are you making the most of it? Bevan J. Buirchell, Agriculture Western Australia 3. Adaption of restricted-branching lupins in Western Australia, Bob French and Laurie Wahlsten, Agriculture Western Australia 4. Isolated microspore culture of lupin for production of doubled haploids, Dr Janet Wroth, Dr Kirsty Bayliss and A/Prof. Wallace Cowling, Plant Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia NUTRITION 5. Banding manganese fertiliser below the seed increases seed yields of narrow-leafed lupins, R.F. Brennan, Agriculture Western Australia 6. Residual value of manganese fertiliser for lupin grain production, R.F. Brennan, Agriculture Western Australia AGRONOMY 7. Lupin seeding density, Miles Dracup, Agriculture Western Australia, Nick Galwey, University of Western Australia and Bob Thomson, University of Western AustraliaPESTS AND DISEASES 8. Anthracnose in lupins – understanding the risk, Moin Salam, Art Diggle, Geoff Thomas, Mark Sweetinghamand Bill O’Neill, Agriculture Western Australia 9. Implications of the ‘green bridge’ for viral and fungal disease carry-over between seasons, Debbie Thackray, Agriculture Western Australia and Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture 10. Insect pest development in WA via the ‘green bridge’, Kevin Walden, Agriculture Western Australia 11. Lupin anthracnose – seed infection thresholds, Geoff Thomas, Agriculture Western Australia 12. Identification and characterisation of resistance genes to Phomopsis blight in narrow-leafed lupin, M. Shankar1, M.W. Sweetingham1&2 and W.A. Cowling1&3 , 1Co-operative Research Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, 2Agriculture Western Australia, 3Plant Sciences 13. Plant disease diagnostics, Dominie Wright and Nichole Burges, Agriculture Western Australia 14. Detection of strains of Phomopsis exhibiting species preference in lupins, M. Shankar, 1Co-operative Research Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture and M.W. Sweetingham, Agriculture Western Australia 15. Potential alternate host for the lupin anthracnose pathogen, Geoff Thomasa, Hu’aan Yangb, Mark Sweetinghamab and Ming Pei Youa, aAgriculture Western Australia, bCooperative Research Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture WEEDS 16. Wild radish – the implications for our rotations, Dr David Bowran, Centre for Cropping Systems 17. Competitiveness of wild radish in a wheat – lupin rotation, Abul Hashem, Nerys Wilkins, and Terry Piper, Agriculture Western Australia 18. Population explosion and persistence of wild radish in a wheat-lupin rotation, Abul Hashem, Nerys Wilkins, Aik Cheam and Terry Piper, Agriculture Western Australia 19. Inter-row knockdowns for profitable lupins, Paul Blackwell, Agriculture Western Australia, Miles Obst, Mingenew 20. Is it safe to use 2,4-D Ester 80% pre-sowing when furrow sowing lupins? Andrew Sandison, Elders Ltd QUALITY AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT 21. Lupin protein – what we know, Bill O’Neill, Agriculture Western Australia 22. Foliar N application increases grain protein in lupins, Bob French and Laurie Wahlsten, Agriculture Western Australia 23. Can lupin grain protein be increased with Flexi-N? Cameron Weeks, Erin Hasson, Mingenew-Irwin Group and Luigi Moreschi, CSBP futurefarm 24. Putting a value on lupin use in the aquaculture industry: a fishy business? Brett D. Glencross, Fisheries WA, Fremantle Maritime Centre, Fremantle 25. Selection for thinner seed coats and pod walls in lupins, Jon Clements, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture and Miles Dracup, Agriculture Western Australia 26. Assessing the nutritional benefit of Australian sweet lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) in human foods, Ramon Hall (SPIRT PhD scholar), Stuart Johnson, Madeleine Ball, Deakin University, Melbourne, Sofia Sipsas and David Petterson, Agriculture Western Australi

The state of capacity development evaluation in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management

Capacity development is critical to long-term conservation success, yet we lack a robust and rigorous understanding of how well its effects are being evaluated. A comprehensive summary of who is monitoring and evaluating capacity development interventions, what is being evaluated and how, would help in the development of evidence-based guidance to inform design and implementation decisions for future capacity development interventions and evaluations of their effectiveness. We built an evidence map by reviewing peer-reviewed and grey literature published since 2000, to identify case studies evaluating capacity development interventions in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management. We used inductive and deductive approaches to develop a coding strategy for studies that met our criteria, extracting data on the type of capacity development intervention, evaluation methods, data and analysis types, categories of outputs and outcomes assessed, and whether the study had a clear causal model and/or used a systems approach. We found that almost all studies assessed multiple outcome types: most frequent was change in knowledge, followed by behaviour, then attitude. Few studies evaluated conservation outcomes. Less than half included an explicit causal model linking interventions to expected outcomes. Half of the studies considered external factors that could influence the efficacy of the capacity development intervention, and few used an explicit systems approach. We used framework synthesis to situate our evidence map within the broader literature on capacity development evaluation. Our evidence map (including a visual heat map) highlights areas of low and high representation in investment in research on the evaluation of capacity development